Semantically Correct
by Miss Mungoe
Summary: He does many things he refuses to name by their proper definitions. – Gajeel-in-denial/Levy, with the occasional Lily-insight.
1. stalk

AN: This will be a multi-chaptered, easygoing thing with lots and lots of shameless fluff and Gajeel/Levy cuteness. Linguist nerds, unite!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail – Hiro Mashima does.

* * *

**Semantically Correct**

**by Miss Mungoe**

**"(to) stalk": **verb. _If you stalk a person or a wild animal, you follow them quietly in order to kill them, catch them, or observe them carefully._

"You're a stalker, you know that?"

Ignoring the Exceed, the iron dragonslayer kept on walking. Although 'sneaking' would probably be more accurate, but who the hell cared about semantics, anyway?

"And you're _good_ at it, too, which is...kind of disturbing. Do you do this often?"

Getting no reply, Pantherlily aimed a sharp poke to the man's leg, as that was as far as he could reach from his current position by the man's feet. "Oye. Gajeel. Do you mind telling me what you're doing?"

"Do _you_ mind yelling any louder?"

Lily frowned, crossing his arms over his chest, and a moment of silence passed between them as they walked on down the shadowed alley running adjacent to the main street. The street in which a certain bookworm was strolling down, casually oblivious and with her nose rooted in a paperback novel.

"You know, it would be a lot easier to just, _oh,_ I don't know, ask to walk her home? Like a normal person?"

"I don't do that kind of sissy shit."

"But stalking young girls in dark alleys is completely alright?"

"...shaddup."

Lily snorted. "At least be honest about it."

"I ain't a damn stalker," Gajeel growled, to which Lily rolled his eyes.

"You are aware of the definition of the word?"

"Juvia is a stalker."

"_Juvia_ is honest about it."

Ignoring his partner, the dragonslayer trudged on down the darkened side-street, keeping within sight of the little mage walking a few feet to their right.

"She really should let someone walk her home, though – it's a miracle she notices where she's putting her feet, let alone in which direction she's going," Lily murmured as he watched the script mage make her way down the street. "I wonder why those boys of hers even let her – the way they're at her heels the rest of the day, you'd think they'd at least have the sense to walk her home."

Gajeel grumbled softly, "Wouldn't be much protection, anyway, useless shits."

Lily's frowned, but said nothing. A heavy silence settled between them as they continued their stealthy trek. Gajeel didn't speak – he didn't particularly want to explain himself, least of all at such an bloody inopportune moment. 'Chatting' and 'stealth' didn't exactly go hand-in-hand.

"You have an odd way of showing it, you know."

Turning his head slightly at his cat's remark, Gajeel frowned. "What?"

Lily smirked, a knowing smile on his face. "That you care."

He scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Right."

"Hey, _I'm_ not the crazy stalker. I just tagged along to see what you were up to – you're the one without the guts to walk her home."

"I _am_ walking her home."

"Yes, I can see that. _She_ can't, though, which is what makes it so creepy."

"If you compare me to Juvia again..."

Lily shrugged. "Maybe you should swap notes?"

"Har har _har."_

"I am actually finding this extremely amusing," Lily remarked. "I mean, I used to think humans were weird, but you dragonslayers are in a class of your own."

"Says the talking cat with the changeable wings."

"Says the guy who wanted a talking cat with changeable wings so bad he _cried_."

"..."

Lily grinned. "What, no comeback?"

Gajeel shrugged. "What? I wanted a cat, didn't I?"

The Exceed said nothing to that – only shook his head with a smirk.

Gajeel ignored him.

"I'm assuming you're going to follow her all the way to Fairy Hills?"

Gajeel grunted his consent. Lily snorted.

"Well, if that's the case, I'm going to bed. Have fun lurking like a creeper."

Waving him off, Gajeel continued on down the alley as Lily took off towards the flat he shared with the dragonslayer. Knowing his cat wouldn't hold his off-handedness against him, the dragonslayer kept his eyes on the tiny woman making her way towards the girls' dormitory.

She'd made it an odd habit of walking home alone the past few days, opting to stay at the guild longer than she usually did, insisting to her accessories she'd walk home with one of the girls but always ending up going alone anyway, although he couldn't fathom _why_ she'd do something so glaringly stupid, knowing perfectly well what could be hiding in the dark corners of Magnolia.

So he'd been forced to follow. Well, not _follow,_ per se. Just...conveniently walk in the same direction. Through the adjacent alleyways. In the shadows.

…

Alright, so maybe Lily was right and he was acting like a creeper, but when she insisted on walking home on her own in the middle of the friggin' night, what was he supposed to do? He knew what could happen to idiots who walked alone at night, but apparently, _she_ had forgotten. Or maybe she'd gotten too confident. Either way, she was an idiot. An idiot who clearly needed backup. But as he'd told Lily, he didn't do sissy shit like asking to walk girls home. Did he look like a pansy? He wasn't that lecher of a stellar spirit the bunny girl couldn't control for the life of her, either, or one of the bookworm's fashion-disabled accessories who'd jump at the opportunity to escort her.

But that didn't mean he couldn't make sure she got home safe.

And so he followed silently, walking casually at a small distance and out of sight. Stealth was hardly necessary – with her nose stuck in a book, she'd have a hard time noticing an earthquake, let alone that she was being shadowed.

As they neared dormitory, he slipped quietly out of sight and into the greenery surrounding the building. Even though the shrimp hadn't noticed him didn't mean Titania wouldn't – the woman had eyes like a hawk, and from what he'd heard at the guild, had little mercy to spare for men foolish enough to approach Fairy Hills after hours.

And as much as Gajeel wanted to fight the chick, he wasn't a _complete_ idiot.

Noticing she was as good as at the entrance, he turned on his heel to walk back the way he had come when her voice stopped him.

"Thank you."

She'd turned around, and was looking into the bushes with a small smile on her face. "For following me home," she added.

He didn't say anything, but she crossed her arms over her chest, sticking her hip out in the way she had a habit of doing whenever she thought he was bullshitting her.

He came out of his hiding place, trying – and failing – to ignore the curiosity wanting to know how the hell she'd caught on. She usually wasn't very perceptive, and even less so when she was reading. "I wasn't following."

She grinned. "Of course not. How silly of me."

He crossed his arms over his chest, regarding her closely, and a moment of silence passed between them before he spoke, "You of all people should know better than to walk alone at night."

She smirked, eyes twinkling as though at some inside joke. "With you watching my back, I don't think I've got much to fear."

"And who says I was watching your back?"

She raised a brow. "The distinct lack of drunk creepers I usually meet on my way home, for one."

He shrugged. "Coincidence." A small dose of killer intent did wonders sometimes, even on drunkards.

"Of course."

"It ain't a joke, Levy. You should pay attention to what you're doing – yer about as perceptive as a bag of rice."

She raised a brow at that – no doubt finding his out-of-place simile, well,_ out of place_. A small smile tugged at her lips. _"I'm_ not perceptive?"

He sent her a look telling her what he thought about that question. She grinned, and he got the distinct feeling he was on the receiving end of another inside joke. "What are you grinning about?" he asked, brows furrowing as he took in her not-quite-so-innocent smile. She shook her head.

"It's just funny that you should say that – when you're not even aware that I've been attempting to get you to walk me home for the past week."

…

He...had absolutely nothing to retort to that, he found, standing before her as she shyly smiled up at him. As though she hadn't just admitted to trying to manipulate him. To having _succeeded_ in manipulating him, in fact, and if he hadn't been so damn surprised, he might have taken offence.

She grinned. "Cat got your tongue?"

Gathering his wits, Gajeel snorted, and a grin tugged at his lips. "A shrimp, actually."

"Must be a clever shrimp."

"The cleverest," he retorted. "And the shortest."

She stuck out her tongue playfully, and a moment of comfortable silence passed between them where they stood outside the quiet dormitory. After a pause, Levy inhaled deeply.

"So," she said, biting down on her lip.

He raised a brow. "So?"

She shrugged. "My plan didn't go as I'd...well, _planned_ it to."

Gajeel regarded her closely for a moment, her hands fiddling with the hem of her shirt, as though she'd lost all her nerve. A smirk tugged his lips apart. "I wouldn't say that. I walked you home, didn't I?"

"More like _stalked_ me home."

"Semantics."

She smiled. "Big word. I'm impressed."

His grin was devilish. "And a little turned on?"

"I didn't–"

"Don't lie, Shorty. You like it when I talk nerdy."

She flushed, and he almost laughed at the reaction. She huffed softly, tucking a strand of blue hair behind her ear. "Alright."

His brows raised at that. "Alright what?"

She shrugged, averting her gaze to her shoes. "And what if I said I liked it?"

Gajeel grinned. "Then I might have to go find a thesaurus."

She blushed, pursing her lips. "You better not be mocking me, Gajeel Redfox."

"Even if you're hella easy to tease?"

"Especially if," she retorted, crossing her arms over his chest. He smirked, sneaking a glance up at the dormitory windows facing them, confirming the suspicion that had nagged at his mind for the past five minutes.

"I was led to believe Titania didn't go easy on guys outside the dormitory at night."

Levy frowned. "She doesn't."

He raised a brow. "She's been watching us for the past five minutes."

She blushed fiercely at that, and for the second time in the past hour, Gajeel felt he was at the receiving end of another joke. Levy sneaked a glance up at the building, a soft whine escaping her as she no doubt caught the now obvious flicker of red in one of the upper windows. Gajeel smirked.

"She expecting a show?" The look the little mage gave him was priceless, and he laughed. "_Kidding_, Shorty. Don't lose yer head."

She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, her gaze flickering uneasily to the building behind her even as she tried to focus on him. Gajeel grinned wickedly as a sudden thought struck him.

Well, if Titania wasn't going to kill him for it...

Stepping up to the little mage, making her yelp in surprise at his sudden move, he caught her chin with his fingers, tilting her head to make up for their gap in height as he covered her mouth with his.

It was a completely spontaneous move – he hadn't planned anything of the sort when he'd followed her out of the guild, after all. And he wasn't going to lie – he had, maybe, wanted to see how the redhead would react – if she would come storming out, swords raised and ready to skewer him. Or hand him a free meal. But when Levy damn near melted against him with a small mewl that had his wilder nature growling with unexpected appreciation, Gajeel found all thoughts of pissing off the sword chick fleeing his mind, replaced with the intoxicating sweet scent of the tiny mage before him. He grinned against her lips at her eager reaction. It looked as though his stalking hadn't even phased her, and even if he was reluctant to call it by that particular definition, he revelled in the small victory that he was doing a much better job at it than Juvia ever had.

After all, he had a pretty little bookworm in his arms.

Pulling away, he released her chin, putting his hand on her head and letting his fingers tangle in her hair as he gave it what was now his trademark ruffle. The blush on her cheeks was vibrant against the blue of her hair, and he grinned at the sight.

"Interesting."

She blinked, and her flush deepened. "Interesting?" she asked – or more like squeaked, when he suddenly leaned in close.

"Let's repeat that sometime we don't have an audience," he suggested, canines flashing in a wicked grin as she blushed even redder.

"Gaj–!"

"Go to sleep, Shorty."

Ruffling her hair once more for extra measure, he turned to leave, choosing not to look up at the windows of the dormitory where he could now sense the presence of more than Titania's metal-tinged scent. He was halfway down the road from her when her voice reached his ears again.

"Warn a girl next time!"

He could only grin.

* * *

AN: I love Juvia. Gotta give the girl credit for dedication.


	2. flirt

AN: More semantics. And denial. And Lily.

Dislcaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail – Hiro Mashima does.

* * *

**"(to) flirt"**: verb. _If you flirt with someone, you behave as if you are sexually attracted to them, in a playful or not very serious way._

"I don't _flirt_."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Gajeel glared down at the Exceed seated beside him, as though mentally daring him to disagree. Pantherlily gave him a look that said he didn't believe a word. Gajeel bristled.

"I don't–"

"And _what_ would you call it then, if I may ask?"

The dragonslayer opened his mouth to retaliate, but closed it with an audible snap as his brows furrowed.

"...teasing," he said, finally.

"Which is practically the same thing."

"Ain't."

Lily gave him another crooked look – accompanied by a raised brow and a dry smile. "Who are you trying to convince here, again?"

"_You,_ but it ain't doing shit, is it?"

"Well, if the evidence wasn't so obvious, I might have been persuaded," he said with a shrug.

"What _evidence_?" Gajeel asked. Lily rolled his eyes.

"You want the full list?"

"_Enlighten_ me."

The Exceed shrugged, lifting a small paw to tick off the different points. "There's the nicknames, the touches, the glaringly obvious–"

"Nicknames don't count."

"They _do_. Now, the glaringly obviou–"

"_How_ do names count? And since when?"

"Only since the dawn of time, Gajeel. And seriously – 'Shorty'? You know that's an urban endearment for 'girlfriend', right?"

"...shaddup."

"And 'Shrimp' – now that's just adorable. We've all agreed that's our favourite."

Gajeel almost spluttered at that. "Who the hell are 'we'?"

Lily raised another brow. "Just the entire female population of this guild – most of which were present during your less-than-subtle performance the other night."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

…

"Names still don't count."

Lily sighed, rolling his eyes. "And the touches?"

"..."

"Nothing to say to that?" the Exceed asked with a smirk.

Gajeel glowered, crossing his arms with what he hoped was an indifferent shrug of his shoulders. "So I ruffle her damn hair once in a while – it's more patronizing than anything."

"And your habit of lifting her up by her dress?"

"...bullying."

Lily snorted at that. "You're way too transparent, you oaf. If she had pigtails you'd dip them in ink."

Gajeel frowned. "What does that even _mean_?" Lily ignored him. "And what were you saying about some glaringly obvious shit?"

The Exceed smirked. "Not 'shit'. _You._ And everything you do around her."

"Like _what?"_ Gajeel asked, wondering if he really was that obvious.

"Watching her when you think no one is looking, for one."

Apparently he was. Damn it.

"Then there's the stalking, of course."

"I wasn't bloody–"

"_And_," Lily cut him off, giving him a look, one brow raised rather smugly. "the stunt you pulled last night outside the dormitory."

Gajeel shrugged at that. "So? Not like she minded much."

Lily smirked. "Finally you're honest about something. So you can admit to actually making a move, but everything leading up to that is out of the question?" Gajeel opened his mouth to retort when he was interrupted by a book slamming down on his table, accompanied by a very livid bookworm.

"This is all your fault, you know," she hissed at him. Gajeel regarded the script mage with a raised brow.

"The hell's got your panties in a twist, Shrimp?"

She looked furious – or was that an embarrassed blush? It was hard to tell sometimes. Crossing her arms over her chest with an indignant huff, she gave him a look, motioning over her shoulder to something behind her. Letting his gaze follow the movement, Gajeel felt a grin tug at his lips at the sight of the women not-so-subtly watching them from a few tables over. Titania was looking rather red in the face, too, he saw, much to his amusement.

"Stop that!" Levy hissed, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Stop what?" he asked, popping a random piece of metal in his mouth. On second thought, it might have been a spoon. Barmaid might be angry about that.

Oh well.

"_Grinning_ like that – you look like you're about to devour something," she mumbled. He raised a brow at that, flicking his gaze quickly down her petite form, making her blush deepen and an indignant squeak to escape her. "Gajeel–!"

"Relax, Shorty – I'm only messing with you. Now are you going to sit your ass down, or are you going to keep giving me an eyeful?" he asked, gaze swivelling pointedly to her bare legs as another wicked grin stretched across his face. From beside him, Lily rolled his eyes, and was promptly ignored by the dragonslayer.

"Oooh – you're impossible!" She seated herself across from him, tucking her legs underneath the table and out of sight. He smirked at the action.

"The hell are you so shy for, anyway?" he asked. She averted her gaze, mumbling something under her breath as another blush tinted her cheeks. Apparently, the girls had cornered her when she'd come in the night before, and the result hadn't been pleasant. Hence the gossip-counsel across the hall. Gajeel smirked.

"They enjoy the show, at least?"

"Gajeel!" she snapped, cheeks now colouring vividly. "What is _up_ with you today?"

He grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "Can't tease you now without being questioned?" he asked.

She averted her gaze quickly. Too quickly. "Didn't say that," she mumbled under her breath. He smirked.

"So did they?"

"Did they what?"

His smile was wicked. "Enjoy the show?" he asked again. She blushed all the way into her hairline, and he laughed at the sight. "You're making this too easy, Shorty – I'm only doing it because I _can, _you know._"_

She crossed her arms over her chest, clearly embarrassed. "And who gave you permission?"

He grinned. "You."

She spluttered, and the action was strangely...cute. "_I_ did? When?"

He shrugged. "You're clearly into me, which gives me teasing rights. Logic."

She gaped at him. "W-wait a minute – _I_ am–what about _you_? You're the one who kissed _me_!" she hissed.

Gajeel only grinned in reply.

Placing her hands on the table with a miffed sort of sound, Levy pushed herself to her feet, but only got as far as standing up before he grabbed her arm.

"Oye, Shorty – there's something I forgot got to tell you."

She met his gaze, and – by the look that stretched across her face at the glaringly apparent mischief on _his – _immediately regretted it_. _Gajeel couldn't help himself.

"_Lexicology."_

…

And here he'd thought she couldn't possibly blush _more _than she already had_. _The decision to snag that thesaurus from her extensive collection was clearly one of his brighter ideas. Point, Gajeel.

From across the room, Cana cat-called rather loudly, punctuating – for Gajeel's sake, at least – an already epic moment of expert banter, and making the little mage before him curl in on herself in mortification. Pointing an accusing finger at him, she opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it, and then promptly closed it fully with a snap. Spinning around on her heel, she then proceeded to stalk out of the guild in a seething rush, hair flying about her face and her book forgotten. The eyes of nearly all the girls in the room followed her path until she was out of sight before – and collectively, in an almost freakish, telepathic kind of way – swivelled back to land on Gajeel.

…

"You are _so_ flirting."

"Shaddup!"

* * *

It really wasn't his fault.

"Oye, Shorty!"

Seriously though, he hadn't done anything, and here she was, overreacting and throwing everything out of proportions. And even _worse_ – here _he_ was, chasing her down to – and curse Lily and his damn reasoning –_apologize_. Or something of that nature. He wasn't exactly known for apologizing or admitting fault, so anything could happen, really.

"Leave me alone!"

Picking up his pace until he'd caught up with her, Gajeel planted himself in front of the irate bluenette, making her stagger as she caught herself before she barrelled right into him. His hands caught her shoulders to steady her and to keep her from falling on her ass, and she glared at him with all the vicious intimidation of an angry rodent. He repressed the urge to grin at the sight.

"List–"

"Why are you always being such a jerk?" she asked, cutting him off. Gajeel rolled his eyes.

"I would _explain,_ if you'd let me get a damn word in."

She huffed. "So you can continue to make fun of me? No thank you."

He felt like rolling his eyes again, but he wasn't a sixteen year old girl, so he didn't. "I ain't making fun of you, Shortstuff."

Her look held as much belief in his words as Lily's had minutes earlier. Gajeel sighed. Damn woman.

"Alright, so maybe I make fun of you a _little."_

A raised brow was all he got for _that,_ and he threw his hands up in irritation.

"Fine! A _lot._ Often. Bloody intentionally, too – are ya happy now?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "And _why_ do you make fun of me, Gajeel?" she asked, and there was an odd light in her brown eyes that made his brows furrow sharply.

Wait a minute...

"You've been talking to Lily."

She smirked, shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "You're collaborating."

She grinned at that. "Another big word – are you trying to seduce me, Gajeel?"

He snorted, leaning closer. "That depends – what have you been scheming with my cat, midget?"

She looked suspiciously innocent, blinking her large eyes at him demurely. "Nothing serious – but he made me aware of some things I'd been blind to," she said simply. Gajeel leaned even closer, almost nudging his nose against hers and attempting his best to glare her into submission.

"And what, exactly, would that be?"

Her smile was pure innocence and wicked evil all wrapped up into one shiny, shiny package, and he knew what was coming before she even said it.

"Just your adorable attempts at flirting."

Damn you, you bloody good-for-nothing cat.

"I don't flirt."

"Sure you don't. Except you do – I can tell now," she said with a wink.

He almost spluttered again. Almost. "The hell you c–"

She grinned. "Just admit it, won't you? Anyone can tell you the same, especially after that little experiment I did just now."

"What exp–" Ah. Of course. The temperamental episode in the guild hall. Planned.

Sneaky shrimp.

Her grin was triumphant. "Ready to say it yet?"

He snorted, turning his head away haughtily. "Or what?"

...he could almost _feel_ her smile.

"Or no more kisses for you, Mr. Semantics."

Another snort – and another attempt at nonchalance. "So? Think I care about shit like that? Tch. Get over yourself, bookworm."

She raised an elegant brow, then promptly turned on her heel...

...and left.

…

"Oye!"

She waved a hand over her shoulder in a mock imitation of his trademark dismissal. "Sorry – busy getting over myself here. Please come back when you've successfully swallowed your pride."

Gajeel growled, hackles rising at her spunk, and resisted the urge to stamp his foot like an angry toddler – despite feeling very much entitled to do so, thank you.

Alright. Nonchalance: failed. Time for plan B.

"Fine! You're bloody _right_ – happy _now_?"

She stopped, back still turned to him, but he was damned if she wasn't grinning. She didn't turn around, though, as if waiting for something.

Damn manipulative _wench._

"If you want more than that, you're going to have t–" He didn't' get to finish his sentence as she suddenly spun around, covering the short distance between them in three quick running steps, before throwing her arms around his neck and planting her mouth quite firmly on his. And despite the fact that she'd caught him _completely_ off guard – although he wasn't going to admit that to anyone any time soon – Gajeel prided himself on actually thinking to catch her so she didn't just dangle from his neck like like an oversized, human necklace.

And it gave him a chance to cop a feel, anyway, so win for him.

Pulling away, she grinned. "See? Wasn't so bad, was it?" she asked, eyes twinkling mischievously. Gajeel snorted.

"Unless you've failed to notice, midget – I didn't say anything."

She rolled her eyes. "You admitted I was right, which is enough for me – I know what to reasonably expect from you, and that's about as far as I'm going to push that argument."

Gajeel smirked. "So basically, you're giving up?"

She raised a slim brow at that. "Not quite. I simply...know when to forfeit."

"Tch. Semantics."

She grinned. "Exactly. I'll admit to giving up when you admit to flirting like a schoolgirl. That way, we both win."

Her arms were still around his neck, and her eyes were very, very large and very, very brown up close, and the smile on her face was the smile of someone who were too bloody clever for their own damn good.

…

...

"Whenever you're ready, Gajeel."

"I'm not saying it, damn it!"

* * *

AN: Fufufufufufu.


	3. worry

AN: Phantom!Gajeel probably didn't, but socially-awkward-post-joining-Fairy-Tail!Gajeel totally does.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail – Hiro Mashima does.

* * *

**"(to) worry": **verb. _To feel uneasy or concerned about something or someone._

He wasn't worried.

"I'm not worried."

Lily didn't even say anything to that, only continued to sip his ale as he ignored the dragonslayer seated beside him. Gajeel snorted, propping his feet onto the table and crossing his arms over his chest for further emphasis of his 'so not worried' posture. Because he wasn't worried.

"You're worried."

"I am not."

Lily gave him a raised brow. "They've been gone five days – relax, would you?"

Gajeel rolled his eyes. "I'm completely relaxed," he snapped, nostrils flaring slightly. "...and the mission said _two_ days – the heck is taking 'em so long?"

Shadow Gear had left on a mission some days back. Five days, to be exact. Simple enough, going by the poster, but then, many S-class missions started out as the most mundane of tasks. It was part of the danger of being a mage. And they _were_ mages – although he had his doubts about the supposed skills of the two idiots she called her teammates. Levy was clever – he didn't need to be reminded of _that_, but smart as she was, she wasn't the most thick-skinned. She didn't wear armour like Titania, or possess the protection spells the kid threw around like confetti. And so what if he didn't like bookworm running around with only her lapdogs as protection? He was entitled to a little suspicion regarding their supposed 'abilities' – he'd heard his share of stories of missions where she'd had to do all the work herself.

Lily smiled into his mug. "Worried?"

Gajeel realized he'd voiced his thoughts out loud.

Damn it.

"No."

"Sure."

"I'm not."

"I believe you."

"...no you don't."

"You're right."

Gajeel glowered into his mug, shoulders hunched and brows furrowed deeply. Lily sighed. "It's a simple escort mission, Gajeel. You make them sound like they're completely incompetent."

"...well, _she_ isn't."

"Exactly. They have that, at least."

He was silent for another moment, leaning back into his seat. "Things go wrong on escort missions all the time," he said. Lily nodded.

"True. And they _know_ that – they've been on missions before. And they are a team, you know."

"Hasn't helped them much in the past," Gajeel muttered under his breath. Lily didn't say anything to that, and a lull of semi-heavy tension settled between them. Gajeel grumbled to himself.

It had said two days. He'd checked. And she'd said so, when he'd commented on it. Two days and she'd be back. Easy peasy. He hadn't been in the best of moods when they'd left, either – Salamander had compared him to a jilted cat, and gotten his head smashed into the bar for it, and Gajeel had been in a foul mood the rest of the day.

And Levy being three days overdue hadn't improved it in the slightest.

"Glaring at the door isn't going to make her come back any sooner, you know."

"Shaddup."

Lily raised his eyes to his partner, a smirk on his face. "She'll think it's cute."

Gajeel's gaze shifted back to the Exceed. "What?"

He shrugged. "That you were so worried when she was gone. Or she might be insulted – depends on how I present it."

"How about you just keep your mouth shut?" Gajeel asked. Lily snorted.

"With all this evidence? Please."

Gajeel grumbled something under his breath. Lily pointed a paw accusingly. "You've been a hassle for the past five days – I am _entitled_ to teasing you, you semantically confused dragon."

"...I'm not semantically confused."

Lily snorted. "Just because you've been flipping through that dictionary doesn't make you an expert. In fact, you've only gotten _worse,_ as far as I can tell. Can't even bloody recognize your own feelings for what they are."

"I don't _do_ feelings."

"You're more in denial than Juvia is, you know."

"..."

Lily grinned. "Hit a nerve?"

"Shaddup."

"I could call her over – you could have a nice chat, trade stories...I hear Gray's been gone since last week."

"...you're enjoying this."

Lily grinned. "Unashamedly so."

Gajeel growled, crossing his arms over his chest. "I ain't worried, damn it!"

"I heard you the first time, you know. Finding it hard to convince yourself?"

He was about to open his mouth to reply when the door to the guild hall slammed open, nearly tearing off its hinges as one of the more nondescript members of Fairy Tail came rushing inside, panting, eyes wild and immediately searching out Gajeel's table – an oddity if the dragonslayer had ever seen one. No one ever looked him up...and he couldn't remember having pissed anyone off lately other than the usual idiots. And Salamander was out on a mission, anyway, so it couldn't be him. Stopping in front of their table – or more like collapsing – Gajeel half-suspected the man to go into cardiac arrest by the gasping he was doing.

"The hell's the matter with you?" he asked with a snort. The man – Matt? Mark? ...Todd? He had no idea – took a deep breath.

"Shadow Gear is back! And Levy-chan is in the hospital!"

* * *

"What part of 'don't do anything stupid' did you _not_ understand?"

Levy sighed, raising her eyes to the scowling dragonslayer as he loomed in the doorway of her hospital room. "I didn't do anything _stupid_ – I did something necessary. And how did you even get in here? They wouldn't even let Jet and Droy inside..."

Gajeel shrugged, averting his gaze to the wall to his right. "I snuck in."

She raised a brow at that. "You're six feet tall and dressed all in black – how are you even remotely capable of stealth in a predominantly white environment?" she asked, not believing a word by her tone of voice and the look she was giving him. He shrugged.

"Alright, so I...bullied the damn nurses. What does it matter?"

At that, she rolled her eyes. "Should have known. If they find you it's on _your_ head," she said, pointing a finger at him. He glowered back at her, but his gaze didn't stick long before it shifted to the bandages wrapped around her torso and arms, and his brows furrowed even further. Following the path of his eyes, her gaze softened.

"I'm alright – it looks worse than it is," she assured him, patting her stomach with a small smile, but he caught the near imperceptible wince as her fingers came in contact with the gauze. "See?"

"Doesn't bloody look alright ta me."

She rolled her eyes, a rueful smile on her lips. "I'm alive, aren't I? And conscious, and sitting up. It's a small scratch, that's all."

His look was dark. "A scratch would take a band-aid to fix – that's a whole bloody roll of bandages. And you're hella tiny – an entire roll isn't bloody needed for a 'scratch'."

A smile played on her lips. "Are you worried about me, Gajeel?"

He was about to retort when a plump woman in a nursing uniform came bustling into the room, pushing him out of the way with surprising force and nearly making him stumble. _Nearly_.

"Don't loiter, Mr. Redfox – come inside like a proper gentleman. I see you had no trouble finding the room," she chattered amiably as she checked Levy's chart, smiling warmly at the dragonslayer, who was now pointedly looking everywhere but at the two women. Levy's brows had gone into her hairline, and the nurse turned her attention to her.

"Such a sweet man you have there, Levy-chan. Normally we don't allow visitors until after the check-ups, but he was _so_ worried, pacing the reception like that, we didn't have the _heart_ to make him wait," she explained with a wink in Gajeel's direction.

A smirk tugged at the script mage's lips, and Gajeel felt his hackles rise as he bristled. The nurse put down the chart, oblivious to the glare directed at her back, and checked over Levy's bandages, nodding assuredly to herself before prodding the IV at the girl's hand.

"Well, it looks like you're healing well – you'll be on bed rest for a few days and then you're be good to go." Turning back to Gajeel, she gave him a warning look. "Visiting hours will be over in two hours, Mr. Redfox – I trust you can find your way out when the time comes."

Then she winked at the two of them and bustled back out.

...

Neither mage spoke for a few moments. Levy was still smirking.

"You were saying?" she asked.

Gajeel scowled. "I wasn't worried."

She raised a brow. "So it wasn't you pacing the corridor?"

"...shaddup."

She grinned. "You can admit it, you know. I won't tell. Besides," she said with a wink. "I'll just ask Lily when I get out. I bet he'll tell me lots of _interesting_ things about what's been going on while I've been away."

Gajeel grumbled, before stalking across the room to take a seat in the chair by her bed. Or more like plop down onto it as ungracefully as he could manage, emphasising his irritation. Crossing his arms over his chest, the dragonslayer regarded the script mage intently. She looked...small, sitting there in the overly large bed, bandaged and with more bruises and cuts than she should rightfully have. He felt anger simmer in him at the sight, wanting very much to know what had caused the injuries and how long it'd take to track it down. Or what the hell her lapdogs had been doing when she'd gotten hurt.

She cocked her head to the side. "You're glowering."

"I can glower as much as I damn well want."

She raised a brow at that. "You can, but can I ask _why_? I thought you'd be happy to have me back," she said, a shy smile tugging at her lips. He growled again, feeling his anger drain out of him and cursing himself for allowing it to. He could handle anger – he was _good_ at anger. It was the other shit he had no idea what to do with. Shit like...he couldn't even say it. The messed up feeling of wanting to shake her for being so damn reckless, and then not wanting to so much as touch her, lest she break completely, injured as she was from head to toe. But he didn't tell her that – that would imply he'd...that he'd...and he hadn't. Really.

"Two days," he said instead.

She shrugged like it was nothing. "Missions are almost never like they say on the board – you know that. Nine out of ten times they take longer – and it was pretty far to travel."

He didn't say anything to that, but felt his eye twitch at her casualness. Then a faint smile broke out on her face, and a strange light entered her eyes. He frowned. "What?" he asked, suddenly suspicious.

She shook her head, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and there was the wince again as she lifted her arm. "Nothing – I'm just glad to see you. And...kind of touched that you came so quickly."

He felt heat creep up his neck, and shoved the feeling down. "I...was in the area."

She smiled. "Convenient."

"I wasn't worried."

"Sure you weren–"

"Don't do it again."

She blinked, surprised by his sudden change. "Do what?" she asked.

He shrugged, uncomfortable under her honest scrutiny. "Whatever the hell you did. Don't do it again. Get one of your goons to take the hit for your or something – one of 'em will volunteer as human shield," he grumbled, averting his gaze to the floor. Stupid doe eyes and their stupid...doe-ness.

"Gajeel."

"What?" he asked, although he still refused to look at her.

He heard her sigh. "I'll be more careful next time – I promise."

He snorted, glancing at her. "Damn straight you will."

She shook her head in exasperation. "Yes. Now will you come over here?" she asked, scooting over so there was space on the bed for him. He eyed the gesture dubiously. She rolled her eyes. "I don't bite, although you probably wouldn't have minded..." the last part was mumbled, not for his ears, but he caught it regardless, and resisted the urge to take the bait. She was too easy to tease sometimes, but he wasn't in a very teasing mood at the moment.

"Your pets are going to come in soon," he said instead.

She rolled her eyes. "They'll deal."

"You...have bandages."

"Acute observation there, Mr. Redfox, now will you _get over here?"_ she patted the bed invitingly, giving him her best 'Would You Refuse These Eyes?'

...damn her.

He growled. "Fine. Make some more room, shrimp – do I look like a midget to you?"

She stuck her tongue out, but scooted over some more as he sat down, one leg on the bed and the other dangling over the side.

"What am I, contagious? Come closer," she said. He grumbled something, and she blinked. "I'm sorry – what was that?"

"You don't need more bruises, damn it!"

She rolled her eyes again. "I'm not made of glass, Gajeel. Come here."

"I'm not a damn dog, Shorty – quit the commands."

She snorted. "If anything you'd be a cat. Stubborn and individualistic. And fuzzy."

He nearly spluttered at the comparison, but she grinned disarmingly, slipping beneath his right arm before he had a chance to protest and snuggling against his side. Pulling the appendage across her shoulders with surprising force, she hummed, closing her eyes contently.

"I've missed you," she said. He grunted in reply, trying not to make any sudden movements, and she smiled. "I'll take that as an 'I missed you too, Shorty.' Feel free to correct me."

He didn't say anything, but relaxed a bit as she leaned her weight against him completely. And when she didn't immediately pull back with a wince or a yell, he let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Not made of glass," she reminded him.

"Whatever."

She smiled. "You're cute when you worry."

"I ain't cute."

"But you worry?"

"...no."

She nudged his arm, snuggling her head into his shoulder. "You're so cozy and warm~ I can't remember you being this warm before...or am I the one that's cold? Maybe that's it..."

He snorted. "Did they drug ya or something?"

She shrugged. "I don't know – maybe? I was kind of out of it when they brought me in; can't remember much before I woke up here," she giggled. "I do feel better, though. It really hurt earlier – it felt like I'd been run over by a lawn mower or something...but now it's all numb. Maybe the nice nurse did it? Yeah, maybe...it's better now...anyway..."

He frowned, glancing down at the slim arms sticking out of her overly large hospital gown, wrapped from the wrists and up to her shoulders in white gauze. He felt his brows furrow at the sight. Levy hummed softly to herself.

"You can admit it, you know. I probably won't remember much in the morning – wow, those drugs kick in fast, huh? I'm all sleepy now..."

He only shook his head as her words became garbled mumbles, and he wondered briefly what the hell the nurse had given her for the pain, and even more so how much pain she'd been in to require such an amount. Another sleepy giggle escaped her. He snorted.

"Go to sleep, Shorty."

"Mmm...admit you were worried first."

He snorted. "You're drugged out of your mind – you don't know what you're talking about."

"Please?"

He sighed, sticking his jaw out stubbornly as he glanced down at her, but her eyes were closed and her breathing had already evened out, although it was slightly irregular, but that might just be the drugs.

"Fine," he grumbled. "Maybe I was a little...worried. A _little._"

Soft snores answered him, and he rolled his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips despite himself. "Just don't go expecting me to shout it to the world or anythin'," he grumbled.

A small hand curled around his then, nearly startling him out of his seat. Looking down on the girl snuggled into his side, eyes closed serenely in sleep, his brows went into his hairline at the sight of the grin on her face.

"I don't," she said smugly, and her voice was completely devoid of her previously, _supposedly_ drug-induced giggles.

...

"Damn it!"

* * *

AN: Thought the coast was clear, did ya? Fufufu.


	4. cuddle

AN: Personally, I _love_ to cuddle. And I bet Gajeel secretly does, too – Lily is a good enough example.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters – Hiro Mashima does.

* * *

**"(to) cuddle"**: verb_. To hold each other close, as for affection, comfort or warmth._

"You're always so _warm_."

The mumbled comment was followed by a head of messy blue hair burrowing into the crook of his neck, and then a pair of cold-as-fucking-_death_ feet tucking against his side as Levy pulled her knees up. Jerking away in surprise, Gajeel hissed sharply through his teeth.

"_Shit_, Shorty, the hell is wrong with your damn feet?"

A slim arm sneaking around his chest kept him close despite his attempted escape, and he clenched his jaw as her cold toes brushed against the skin of his hip.

"Please stop squirming, Gajeel."

"Put some damn socks on!"

He could feel her pout against his neck. "But you know I don't like sleeping with socks..."

The Pout. Damn it all to hell.

"Besides, they'll be warm in a second!"

"That's 'cause you're stealing all of _my_ warmth!"

Levy grinned. "You'll live."

"Say that again when I'm frozen to death tomorrow morning."

"I'll have Natsu warm you up."

"The hell you won't!"

"I will if you don't stop complaining. And _stop squirming _– you're ruining the cuddle!"

"The f- I don't _cuddle_!"

"...then what are we doing?"

"..."

"Gajeel?"

The grin against his neck was a smirk now, and he cursed the day she'd picked up that particular habit. Probably from him, too, which meant he'd screwed himself over.

Great.

"We're not..._cuddling_." The word was sour on his tongue, like week-old milk. And he didn't even like milk when it was fresh.

She snorted – another thing she must have picked up from him. Damn it. "You make it sound like a disease. It's just cuddling."

"We're not cuddling."

At his tone she pushed herself up on her elbow, brown eyes meeting his, challenge swimming in them.

And then she _glomped_ him.

"_This_ is cuddling!"

"The hell? Get offa me!"

"Not until you admit that we're cuddling!" And damn it all if she wasn't a persistent wench. Sneaking her arms around him and tangling her legs with his, pressing her frigid little feet against his poor shins, he couldn't have shaken her off even if he'd actually tried.

"Oye, shrimp, leggo dammit!" Rolling over, it didn't make the situation better, as she stuck to him like glue, tightening her hold.

"Admit it."

"This ain't cuddling! This is...this is assault!"

"Ho, am I overpowering you? Is that what you're saying?" Her laughter reverberated through her small frame – the kind of laughter she only shared when they were alone, all throaty and rambunctious and completely at odds with her usually docile nature. And if he hadn't been so busy trying to get her off his person, he might have been a little charmed.

"Alright, that's it."

Rolling sharply off the bed, Gajeel rose to his feet in one fluid motion, making her yelp in surprise before scrambling to keep herself attached, and as a result of this, wrapped her legs soundly around his waist and hoisting herself up so she was at eye-level with him. Pulling back to get a better look at him, she bit down on her lower lip to hide the smile threatening to break out across her face. Gajeel answered with a glare, which only made her smile even wider, and...

Oh.

"This isn't cuddling," she said, her smile taking on a decidedly wicked edge. Another trait of his, but this being one he didn't mind at all.

Bare walls were so convenient sometimes, he decided, as he pressed her up against the nearest one. Feeling a feral sort of grin tug at his lips, Gajeel regarded the shrimp wrapped around him.

"Nah, it definitely ain't."

* * *

"He totally cuddles."

Catching the muted comment, Gajeel looked down from his place on the second floor, eyes seeking out the two girls by the bar – Levy and the bunny-girl, who had just spoken. Wait, scratch that, three girls. The barmaid wasn't fooling anyone – if there was gossip to be heard, there was no way she was actually focused on polishing those glasses.

Damn meddlers.

"I know, right? But he wouldn't admit it even if I promised him iron every day for breakfast _and_ lunch." Levy's hands twitched around her mug, the way they did around her pen when there was a script-related problem she couldn't solve. "Is it a guy-thing?"

He would never understand women and their need to shareeverything_._ He was a possessive hoarder by nature – 'sharing' was as foreign a concept as 'feelings' and 'sympathy'.

The blonde shrugged, sipping her coffee. "Beats me. Natsu cuddles."

Gajeel felt his eye twitch as they so casually compared him to the Salamander. Of course that idiot..._cuddled_. Damn it, could a word get any more pansy-assed?

"He'll cuddle Lily openly."

Well, of course he would. Lily was his cat.

"Perhaps you should borrow Erza's naughty kitten costume?"

"Lu-chan!"

The stellar mage hid a smile behind her hand, sharing a look with the equally grinning barmaid, but Gajeel was having a hard time listening to what they were saying now that his head was filled with images that was bound to result in the need of a very cold shower.

"Don't discard the idea so casually, Levy-chan! Who knows? It might work," the barmaid added her two cents with a conspiring wink, but where he had expected absolute mortification from his shrimp at the suggestion, he was surprised when all she did was push her mug to her lips and avert her eyes to the side.

He almost didn't catch the shy mumble that was partway concealed by the enormous sip she took.

"I don't think cuddling will be the primary thing on his mind if I dress in..._that_, Lu-chan."

Gajeel snorted. _No fucking shit, Shorty._

"Oho, Levy-chan, your cheeks are looking a little red. Are you alright?" the bunny-girl leaned in closer.

"Yes, Levy, what is the matter?" a fourth voice joined the fray.

"Erza!"

The grin on the bunny-girl's face reminded Gajeel of himself. It was creepy as hell.

"Hey, Erza-"

"No, Lu-chan-!"

"What is it, Lucy?" the redhead asked. Lucy's smile widened.

"Levy was just talking about how she wishes to borrow your cat costume – do you still have it?"

Titania turned her gaze on the _now_ absolutely mortified script-mage, pleased surprise evident on her face. "Indeed, Levy-chan? Then we shall dress up together!"

"G-guys!"

Gajeel grinned down at the flustered little mage as she attempted to deflect a surprisingly persistent Titania going on about the latest fashion.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Turning to his partner, the dragonslayer grinned. "Immensely."

Lily raised a brow. "That grin can't be good. What's got your spirits up?"

Gajeel shrugged, casting a glance back down into the guild hall, where the commotion had escalated to include more curious guild-members itching for a brawl. Levy had her face buried in her hands while the women around her were in rapt discussion of the most potent costume – bunny or kitten, to which even the kid had taken part, cat ears perched on her head as always, although Gajeel doubted she knew what they were really discussing. In the corner of his eye, he spied Levy making a break for the exit.

"Gajeel?"

Flashing another grin at his cat, Gajeel made a leap across the railing to land amongst the chaos that had broken out in the hall. The action was a normalcy and thus hardly noticed by the others, although he thought he caught a smirk from the bunny girl as he passed the bar on his way out, and he had the brief feeling she had known he was there all along...

Oh, well. He had a shrimp to catch.

"Oye, Levy!"

Upon hearing her name called, the tiny mage flashed him a smile, and he was pleased to see the blush hadn't completely left her face.

"There you are – I was going to look for you," she greeted. "Are you hungry? I thought we might get something to eat." He nodded his assent, falling into place beside her as they made a trek towards her favourite diner.

They didn't make it far down the road before he cracked.

"So...naughty kitten costume, eh?"

Her entire posture went rigid at that, and the grin on his face only widened in return. Risking a glance up at him, her blush darkened at the look on his face, which he guessed was nothing short of disturbing.

"You...heard that?"

His grin was crooked. "Damn straight."

She was silent for a moment, before her lips quirked up into a smile. "I'll consider it."

He felt his metal-studded brows raise at the statement, not quite believing his ears. "Really?"

The grin on her face turned wicked again, and she tucked her hands behind her back, inclining her head towards him and smiling in a way that was much too innocent to be anything but conniving.

"If," she began, and he nearly rolled his eyes. A catch. Wonderful. Then she grinned. "I want to cuddle," she declared, raising her chin proudly. He raised a brow at that.

"Don't we already do that?"

…

_Damn it! _

If the grin on her face had been wicked before, it was downright devil-like now. "Did the great Gajeel Redfox just admit to – dare I even say it – _cuddling_ his woman?"

"Shaddup!"

Her laugher followed him down the street as he stomped away with all the indignation of a five-year-old. Calling his name, he heard her jog after him, although her giggles were hard to restrain. He stopped some paces away, glaring menacingly back over his shoulder as she caught up with him. Out of breath, cheeks flushed and eyes full of her laughter, he had a hard time keeping his glare intact. Averting his gaze sideways, he crossed his arms over his chest, and grumbled,

"I'll do it if you don't call it 'cuddling'."

Her smile outshone the sun above them. "I'll settle for that." Tucking her small hand into his, she tugged him along behind her. He only shook his head, never failing to be amazed at her simple acceptance of all things Gajeel. Of course, she wasn't one for demands in the first place. At first, he'd assumed she'd need more from him than he was capable of giving, but it had quickly become clear that she was more than willing to have him for who he was, and despite his numerous flaws and oddities. And he'd found that, it felt good...having someone like that in his life.

…

Although he'd rather dye his hair as pink as Salamander's before ever willingly admitting to 'cuddling'.

It just wasn't happening.

* * *

AN: Levy strikes me as an enormous cuddler if given the chance. She'd prefer being the little spoon (who wouldn't, with Gajeel?), but sometimes she'd want to be the big spoon, because she can.


	5. dote

AN: Some more fluff and funsies for you lovely readers.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or it's characters – Hiro Mashima does.

* * *

**"(to) dote"**: verb. _To be lavish or excessive in one's attention, fondness or affection._

It'd been such a _nice_ day.

Really – it had been an exceptionally good day. The weather was nice, they'd completed their mission without trouble and they had a good hour to kill before the train to Magnolia left. He'd even found a scrapyard, and gotten a late breakfast for his troubles. And a souvenir for his apartment, a piece for his current project, and a new piece for a new project that he'd gotten a great idea for and that he was going to start on when they got home, no matter how grouchy Lily was going to be. Because it wasn't 'clutter' as long as it was used for something, and Gajeel knew just where to put it. So yeah, it'd been a nice day. Perfect, even.

And then Lily just had to go and ruin the mood.

"All I said was that you dote on your girl. And what if you do? It's cute."

It _isn't_, and he sure as hell _doesn't _dote. Doting is for pussies and doormats who can't stand up for themselves and who're afraid of being dumped on their asses by their demanding and supposedly better halves. And Gajeel Redfox is none of the above.

"Why are you always so intent on denying what is so glaringly obvious for everyone else?" Lily asked, sending him a look.

Gajeel closed his eyes, attempting to tune out the amused queries of his companion, wandering next to him, arms crossed over his furry little chest and brows raised in a knowing look. Maybe if he concentrated hard enough, the day would go back to being quiet and pleasant. Or maybe he could catch a break from everyone claiming this and that about his doings. It was his business, damn it!

"It ain't glaringly obvious, and I ain't doin' it," he said calmly, because overreacting would only be proving his cat right, but Lily couldn't look less convinced. Gajeel sighed, already awaiting the pile-up of 'evidence' the Exceed probably had.

"You spend most of your time with her," Lily pointed out.

And there it was.

"So? She's my girl," he retorted with a shrug.

"You watch her read."

"Yeah?"

"You carry her books."

"Have you _seen_ the sizes of those things? And _her_ size?"

"You're..._handsy_, in public. Often."

"Just appreciatin' what's mine."

Lily smirked. "Sounds like doting to me. Showering her with affection and gifts...well, in your own way, of course."

"You're delusional."

Lily grinned. "Big word, and she's not even around to hear it. Is this seduction-plan of yours _actually_ making you more articulate?"

"Shaddup!"

The Exceed shook his head. "So you can learn _those_ kinds of definitions, but not the ones pertaining to your own actions?"

"Who says I don't know the definitions to my own actions?" Gajeel snorted. Lily raised a disbelieving brow.

"_You_ do. With your semantically confused mumbo-jumbo about not doing what you're so _obviously_ doing."

"I told you,_ I don't dote_. And I don't give her...gifts," he snorted, a grimace pulling at his face at the last word, the taste of it sour in his mouth. Because 'gifts' were just another sickeningly sissy way of showing affection, or an excuse for idiots who couldn't satisfy their women with other means, or who'd made some kind of huge, stupid mistake.

Either way, he didn't give gifts. The hell did he look like? Some kind of whipped chump?

Lily snorted. "That new bookcase you built for her? What would you call that?"

Gajeel shrugged. "Necessary. Have you seen the amount of books she has? Kept stumbling over the damn things every time I came over," he grumbled, the memories vivid in his mind. His eye twitched at the latest one not two weeks ago. It'd hurt like a bitch, and she'd even had the gall to be concerned about the _books_ when he'd all but fallen flat on his face!

"_**They're** not made of iron, Gajeel!"_

And so what if he sort of was? Her place was a hazard if he'd ever seen one, and _he_ should know, his house was filled to the brim with sharp objects. But that didn't mean he left them around for other people to break their damn necks on like her paperbacks. No – she'd _needed_ that extra bookcase. Or he'd needed it, for his health.

"And that new headband she was wearing when we left?"

Ah. The one that had caught his fancy on his last mission.

Damn it.

"It's a headband – so what?"

"Still a gift. And while we're on the subject of those – why is your bag so heavy?"

"Lunch. Found an old bench in that scrapyard we passed."

"So it's got nothing to do with that bookshop I saw you come out of?"

"..."

Lily only grinned. "Nothing to say?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, cat."

Lily snorted, turning his gaze to the bulging dufflebag slung across his partner's shoulder. "If that was lunch you'd have consumed it already, you glutton. Those are books."

"Ain't."

"Oh, so if I check, I'll find...what? Scrapmetal?"

Gajeel growled, tugging the bag closer as he stomped down the street of the town they were in. It was pretty big in size, but otherwise suffocatingly uneventful. The mission had been almost too easy – track down a thief and hand him over to the filthy rich guy who'd posted the assignment. And even though it'd turned out it hadn't been just a thief in the singular form, but a whole guild of merry kleptomaniacs, it had only taken just a little more effort to take them down. Idiots couldn't even use magic, so they'd hardly been a challenge for him and Lily.

So yeah, maybe the mission had been a bit below their standards, but he'd had his reasons, damn it.

"And what if it _is_ books, huh?"

Lily only shrugged. "It just proves my point, that's all. Nothing worse."

"I don't _dote_ on her."

"Except that you do. What are they about, hmm? Languages, I'll wager. And runes, because she's been talking about trying her hand at them but hasn't been able to find sufficient literature. Wasn't that was she said before we left? Gajeel?"

"Hell if I know. Shorty's always chatterin' about her damn scripts," he muttered.

"Oh, so that wasn't the reason you took this mission – a surprisingly easy one, considering our usual jobs – to _this_ town, where they've got one of the biggest bookstores in Fiore?"

"Coincidence."

"Yes, quite."

Gajeel glared. "It was. A big one."

"I can see that," Lily said, but the grin on his face was a dead giveaway. "So you didn't get advice from Fried on what books to get then?"

"The hell would I speak to pansy-hair about _books?"_

"Because you want to get some for your girl, whom you're doting on."

"I don't fucking dote!"

Lily only grinned, taking to the air as Gajeel made a swipe after him. "What's the big deal if you do? It's just cute. It won't kill you, even if you're acting like it's a disease."

Gajeel's eye twitched. "So help me, Lily..."

"_Fine_. You don't dote."

"Damn straight I don't."

…

"What would you call it then?" he asked.

"..."

"My point is being proven here, Gajeel."

"Damn it, Lily!"

* * *

He didn't dote. And it wasn't a big deal. They were just books. A small pile of bound paper with writing in them. Nothing fancy.

"Gajeel! They're _amazing_! Where did you _get_ these?"

From beside him, Lily only smirked. Gajeel cleared his throat. "Uh...mission."

Levy grinned – the potent sunshine grin that was kind of, sort of, maybe the reason he'd gone to such lengths to get the damn things.

Maybe.

Settling the old tomes on the table before her, the tiny woman could barely contain her excitement as she flipped open the pages. And true to the guild's generally insatiable curiosity, more people started to gather around her to see what she was up to. Gajeel felt his eye twitch, and wondered briefly if he shouldn't have given her the books at home and not in the middle of the guild hall. But the bag had been annoyingly heavy and yeah, maybe he'd wanted the smile. And maybe it gave him a kind of perverse satisfaction to know that he'd been the one to give her that smile. And _maybe_ he'd wanted the others to know that, too.

Although he was quickly regretting his decision.

"Hey, Levy – new books?"

"Wow, they look pretty expensive."

"Oooh, engraved leather. Classy stuff, Levy-chan!"

She nodded eagerly too all the comments, glasses already perched on her nose as she flipped through the pages before her. "Gajeel got them for me!" she announced with a blindingly brilliant smile. Gajeel felt a satisfied smirk tug at his lips–

"Oh, that is so sweet! How he dotes on you!"

–and felt it drop just as quickly. Lily snorted into his drink.

"Told you," he muttered.

And then Levy turned towards him with a secret smile, eyes twinkling with mirth, but she said nothing to the comment as she turned back to her new source of amusement. And _maybe_ that made him feel a bit better. Because she obviously knew him well enough to know how to react to that kind of remark.

The others quickly grew tired of the spectacle, as his bookworm was by far one of the few who could become so excited over a bunch of books and then keep that excitement going for hours on end. Even Lily left them along after a while to sit with the barmaid, so that left them alone. Seated with his back to the table's edge, Gajeel watched as she delved into a world where he couldn't follow, but that didn't stop him from enjoying the view it gave him as she all but leaned her entire upper body across the table top.

Of course, for a guy like him, even shameless ogling lost its charm after a while.

"Oye."

"Mm?"

He nudged her side, but she only swatted his hand away. He felt his eye twitch. "Midget."

"Mm, what?"

"Can't you look at them later or somethin'?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he shifted his weight on the bench. She raised her head to look a him, her expression sheepish.

"Sorry, Gajeel, you know how I am sometimes," she apologised. "It's just...new books!" And she couldn't have seemed more happy if she'd clapped her hands together, the weirdo.

He snorted. "You'd make a guy jealous with less," he said, but the smirk on his face betrayed the gravity of his remark.

She raised a brow at that. "Only a dragonslayer. Normal people aren't _that_ possessive."

"Damn straight they're not." She shook her head, a secretive smile playing on her lips as she regarded him with a strange look. Gajeel frowned. "What? Got somethin' on my face?"

She grinned. "No. I was just thinking of the books. It was a nice gesture," she said. "Thank you, Gajeel."

He grumbled softly to himself, straightening in his seat. "Yeah, well, ya like books, so..."

She laughed, before leaning over to kiss him, a public display he'd discovered was a way of staking her claim. And even if he usually wasn't one for showing affection in public, the slight possessive streak she showed sometimes was damn hot, so he wasn't about to complain.

Nudging her small nose against his as she pulled back, she gave him a wink. "I like that you hoard for me," she said with a knowing smile.

He blinked, but a smirk tugged on his lips as he turned his gaze in direction of his partner across the room, who only shook his head, a smile on his face. "Yeah? Well, I'm a dragon. I _hoard," _he stated. The 'I don't _dote_' wouldn't have been clearer for his cat to catch if he'd had a friggin' megaphone.

Levy smiled, and it was bright and full and fucking flawless, and _there_ was his reason for lugging a ton of bound paper with writing in them across half of Fiore.

Flipping the books closed, she placed them atop each other, brushing her small hands across the surfaces with a care that him rolling his eyes, but he didn't comment on it, because hella weird or not, she was his woman and she was allowed to have her quirks. After all, she let him have his.

"Gajeel?"

Her voice had that distinct lilt to it that he recognized as the 'I'm about to ask for a favour, although I know you'll cave anyway, but I'm asking to be considerate'-tone.

And sure enough, turning towards her, he was greeted by the full force of her big brown eyes.

"Will you _please_ help me carry them?"

…

Lily's laughter followed them all the way out the guild, but the small hand sneaking into his stopped him from dropping the books in his hands in favour of throttling his partner. Because she was smiling. And even if he didn't dote, out of sheer damn _principle_, he could admit that he'd hoard the whole damn world if she'd keep giving him that smile.

That's just how it was.

* * *

AN: Because hoarding for your woman isn't the same as doting. No sir-ee.


	6. daydream

AN: The latest chapter of the manga is seriously messing with my head, so I wrote this to settle my fretting mind and soul. Because shameless fluff is the best medicine for anxiousness.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters – Hiro Mashima does.

* * *

**"(to) daydream"**: verb. _To indulge in dreamlike musings and fantasies while awake, especially of the fulfilment of wishes or hopes._

"Gajeel?"

The call of his name was a muted murmur, muffled from where his face was buried into his pillow, but it pulled him back from the heavy weight of sleep. He grunted in way of reply. "What?" Cracking one eye open, he groaned inwardly when he realized it wasn't even near morning yet. The room was bathed in darkness, and from his estimate it wasn't even two hours past midnight. What the _hell_?

From beside him, the mattress dipped ever so slightly as Levy shifted her weight, and then a small warm form curled itself up against his back, a cold nose burrowing into the crook of his neck as a tiny hand brushed some of his hair away from where it had fallen across his face. He grumbled, already feeling sleep pulling him back under. Her breath was warm against his neck, and her presence had an almost lulling effect on his mind, and despite the fact that she obviously wanted something, he was already on his way back to sleep.

"Do you ever dream?" she asked then, the question quite out of the blue, and he knew it wouldn't have been any less confusing had he been awake and alert. He sighed into his pillow.

"Just did. About iron. It was good. Now it's gone," he grumbled, jolting a little as a small, cold foot brushed against his leg. She smiled into his neck, and he cursed under his breath at the shiver that ran through him.

"That's not what I meant – I mean _dreams,_ like...for the future? Do you have any?"

He didn't move as he spoke – voice muffled as he hadn't bothered to lift his face from his pillow. It was late – or damn early, or whatever – and his body felt lethargic and heavy, and he wanted nothing more than to just surrender to his fatigue, but the small nose nudging his neck kept pulling him back. "I want to kick Salamander's ass. And Titania's. Does that count?" he grumbled.

He could almost feel her roll her eyes. "Nothing more than that? That's pretty...well, unimpressive. Don't you want to...I don't know, become the ultimate dragonslayer or...one of the ten wizard saints? Something like that?"

He snorted. "That what _you_ want, Shorty?"

This time, he knew she rolled her eyes. "No, and you know it. I want to bring forgotten languages back from the dead, and..." she trailed off, before pulling in a breath, as though steeling herself. "I guess...I want a family," she confessed, and left it there, hanging in the air between them like a lead weight, decorated in flamboyant colours – impossible to ignore.

Gajeel snorted into his pillow, but turned around so that he was on his back, and cracked one lazy eye open to look at her where she lay curled up next to him. Her hair was an untamed mess on her head and she was wearing one of his old shirts, ridiculously oversized, but a favourite he wasn't even allowed to wear himself anymore, unless she declared it had lost its smell – then he was allowed to wear it, but only for a short while. He guessed she'd been awake a while, as her eyes had a tired glint to them, but her cheeks were flushed from the cold seeping in from outside, and there was a sheepish smile on her face.

She looked sexy as hell, and if it hadn't been for the conversation hanging between them that he knew he wasn't getting out of, he would have suggested other activities now that he was fully awake.

…

Of course, he could suggest that _later_.

"Shrimp, if you're asking what I think–"

She cut him off with a snort. "Not _now,_ you dolt," she shook her head, nudging his shoulder playfully. "Someday...but...do _you_ ever dream about it?"

He raised a brow. "What, like nurseries and tiny versions of myself running around causing mischief?"

Her eyes seemed to light up. "Yeah!"

"Nope."

Her face fell. "No?"

"Nope. Hasn't crossed my mind."

She looked a little insulted. "Not even a little bit?"

"Not at all."

She stuck her lower lip out, the way she did when the owner of the local bookshop wouldn't give her discounts. "So when you made Asuka-chan new spurs for her boots, you didn't have any...I don't know, thoughts about someday doing that for your own daughter?" Her tone was impossibly hopeful, and her big brown eyes couldn't get any damn larger.

He snorted, pushing himself up on his elbows. "First of all, there ain't no way in _hell_ an offspring of mine would wear dumb-ass lookin' cowboy boots."

She rolled her eyes. "_That's_ what you choose to focus on?"

"Damn straight. Now, secondly, I'm okay with kids, Levy – you know that. I just don't 'dream' about having 'em. Do I look like a woman to you?" Despite the joke/insult, her eyes looked troubled, and despite himself he felt guilt curl its unforgiving fingers around his heart. Damn it.

Turning over completely, he turned his full attention on her. "Does it really matter, shortstuff?" he asked. "You usually do enough thinking for both of us, anyway. It's not like I don't want 'em, I just...don't think about it much."

She sighed, but nodded. "I know. I guess I just...I was just wondering, you know?" she shook her head, a rueful smile on her face. "Sorry for waking you up." She pushed herself up on her elbows and leaned in to kiss his forehead, but he tilted his head back and caught her mouth, and she giggled against him. Her small hands reached into his hair, fingers rubbing against his scalp, and he decided that damn it all, she'd better be aware of the consequences for waking him in the middle of the bloody night. If she wasn't, she was about to be. Pushing her over onto her back, he grinned down at her – fangs gleaming, and she rolled her eyes, sticking her tongue out as she returned the grin.

"Let's get some warmth into those damn death-traps you call feet," he grumbled, swallowing her laughter with another kiss, and the lead weight evaporated from between them, leaving in its wake the comfortable silence of lovers long past the stage of awkwardness in meeting with laden questions. They both knew the subject would turn up again later – maybe as soon as the next day, and hell, maybe they'd talk about it then, but sometimes...

Sometimes, talking was just overrated.

* * *

"GA-jeel!"

The small voice rang out across the guild hall – tones young and exuberant and laced with unabashed excitement. Several heads turned to take in the spectacle, but turned back upon seeing what it was, amused murmurs erupting around the room. At his usual table in the back, Gajeel sighed, but obliged, turning his attention on the tiny shape that had materialized by his chair.

"Whaddaya want, kiddo?"

Asuka grinned up at him, all uneven teeth and bright eyes. "Asuka want to say thank you!" she chirped, motioning to her feet and the gleaming metal spurs on the heels of her boots. Gajeel rolled his eyes.

"Ya already said that when I made 'em," he said, and reached out to poke her forehead, sending her a little off balance. She flailed her tiny arms, but laughed, her grin as big as the sun.

"She's barely been able to keep her excitement down, she's so proud of them," the mother said as she came up, kneeling by the small girl and brushing away a smudge on her cheek. She smiled up at Gajeel.

"Makarov said you were good with kids, but I hadn't seen it for myself," she said, eyes crinkling with good humour. "You'll make a good father someday."

Gajeel snorted, but said nothing. He was acutely aware of the look Lily was giving him, and the smirk that was no doubt on his face, and he wondered idly what his chances were of getting out of _that_ conversation. Picking up her daughter, Bisca smiled affectionately at the little girl's babbling, and Gajeel smirked as the tiny thing waved excitedly at him as she was carried away. And despite himself – because damn it, when had he become such a softie? – Levy's words from the night before came sneaking back into his mind, and for the life of him, he hard a hard time _not_ imagining it now. An equally tiny thing with very blue hair and very big eyes and a fanged grin that promised nothing but sleepless nights and unfathomable amounts of mischief.

"I can only guess what you're thinking about," Lily said then, cutting through his thoughts, and Gajeel straightened in his seat, clearing his throat loudly.

"What?" he asked, tone accusing. Lily only smiled.

"I saw that look on your face – you thinking about children already?"

Gajeel snorted, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his chair. "Give me a break, Lil."

But the Exceed was, if anything, persistent. "But it's so entertaining."

"Can't a guy have his own private thoughts anymore?"

Lily shrugged. "You could try, but you're forgetting that I can read you pretty well."

"Ya can't read _minds_, Lil."

He smirked. "Maybe not, but I can still sense what you're thinking about. Or is 'daydreaming' a better term?"

"Shaddup!"

Lily's smile widened. "So what do they look like? Let me guess – blue hair? Big brown eyes? How many?"

"So help me, Lily–"

"It'd have to be a few – dragons have several hatchlings at a time, don't they? But do you want boys or girls? I'd say girls by the look of you; you've got a bit of a weakness for big, feminine eyes."

"I don't have a weak–"

"But you admit to the other things?"

"I didn't say that! Damn it, cat, stop putting words in my mouth!"

Lily laughed. "You're too easy to tease, Gajeel."

Gajeel snorted, glaring at his partner. "Yeah, well, one more word out of you and you're on future babysitting duty."

Lily raised a brow at that, and Gajeel realised his mistake a little too late. "I didn't mean–"

"Oh? _What_ did you mean then? If you'd care to elaborate, that is."

He glared. "What I meant was–" he stopped, the words dying on his tongue as his eyes were caught and held by the flash of bright blue in the doors to the guild hall, and the bubbling laughter that followed. In the doorway, Shorty had entered from outside and had been intercepted by the kid and her mother, and was busy admiring the girl's new accessories as she proudly flaunted them. Reaching out, the script mage tickled the girl's stomach, pressing her fingers against the same spots she used on Gajeel when she claimed he was being unreasonable. The girl erupted into a fit of giggles.

...

Alright, so what if he sort of, maybe, thought about it _a little?_ It was normal, wasn't it? It wasn't that he was making plans for the immediate future or anything, but someday...he wouldn't have minded a brat of his own. It'd be strong, of course – like him. And smart as hell, like her. And with that combination, it was a sure success.

'Course, with their completely contrasting appearances, it could also end up being the complete opposite. If it was a girl, he'd want her to look like the midget, because she'd be cute, but if it was a boy he'd have to be tall and strong. If he got a nerdy, scrawny little brat...well, he could still be pretty strong. Gajeel would just have to start teaching him early. That went for the girl, too. Oh hell, what if all his children ended up being nerds like Levy? No, he needed at least one of them to be like him, so they'd just have to have enough of them to even out the odds, and–

He stopped his train of thought, closing his eyes.

What. The. Hell. Was. He. Thinking?

"You were saying?"

His eyes snapped back to Lily, who had a knowing smile on his face. He snorted. "I wasn't saying anything."

Lily grinned. "Exactly. Got a little distracted?"

"Don't know what you're talking about."

Lily sighed. "There it is – the denial. Are we really going to do this with _everything?_ You're fighting a losing battle, Gajeel. What, is this the fifth time we're having this conversation or something? Sure feels like it."

"I ain't fighting _any_ battle," he retorted, and then, after a pause, "And I ain't losing, either."

Lily rolled his eyes. "You're incorrigible. I hope your children don't inherit that trait."

"You sayin' I don't have good traits, Lil?"

"Well, some of them _are_ better than others," came the mutter. Gajeel snorted, and was about to retort when he caught Shorty's gaze as she came towards them, a skip in her step and a grin on her face.

"Hello, Lily," she greeted the Exceed, before placing a kiss to Gajeel's temple and earning herself a good, dissatisfied grumble in return, before she seated herself beside them.

"Been to the library?" Lily asked, seeing the large bag she set down beside her, bursting with books. Her grin was decidedly sheepish.

"I was just going to deliver some books, and I got a little sidetracked," she admitted. Gajeel snorted.

"That's putting it lightly," he muttered. She stuck her tongue out playfully, but her grin was hard to remove.

"In a good mood today?" the Exceed asked, and she nodded eagerly.

"_Very_. Bisca asked me yesterday if I wanted to babysit Asuka-chan for a few hours, so that's why I got _these,"_ she said, and at this she bent down to retrieve some of the books from her bag, and as she placed them on the table before her, Gajeel saw they were children's books.

He groaned inwardly, and pointedly refused to look in Lily's direction.

Levy, completely ignorant of what passed between her companions, was busy babbling about the books she'd found – with the excitement only a bookworm of her calibre could muster, as they were thin paperback things with drawings of clowns and kittens on them. But he guessed that to her, literature was literature and thus equally exciting no matter the content or packaging.

"Oh! And look at this!" she exclaimed suddenly, pulling out a heavier tome from within her small pile. This one was leatherbound and intricately engraved with golden letterings on the front. "It's about dragons, Gajeel!" she declared, her smile brilliant and her eyes gleaming mischievously.

He snorted, eyeing the book in her grip. "Yeah, and?"

She gave him a pointed look, her smile sly, and sometimes he just _hated_ how she knew him so damn well. "You don't want to have a look?" she asked, pushing the book towards him. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Maybe later."

She bit her lip cheekily, and his glare promised she would get her just desserts when they got home for her impudence, but she only smiled innocently, the damn sneaky midget. "Oh! There's Lu-chan – I need to go ask her something. Watch these for me for a moment, ne?" she asked, before she was up and running across the hall, calling out for her friend who had just come inside with Natsu. Gajeel watched her go, shaking his head at her antics, before his eyes caught the golden gleam of the book on the table.

'The Children's Book of Dragons' the cover read in an elaborate swirl, accompanied by a very detailed engraving of a dragon in flight, and Gajeel snorted softly to himself. Momentarily forgetting his partner sitting beside him, he flipped the cover open, skipping the list of contents before arriving at the first tale. Beside the actual writing there was a large, page-sized illustration in watercolour, and despite himself he was a little impressed at the detailing. From the title it was a story of an errant dragonling who got into too much trouble for his own good, and the illustration was of an adult dragon and a nest of several hatchlings in front of a backdrop of tall mountains an endless blue skies.

He smirked as he read a little bit, and the thought struck him that if he did ever have kids, he'd read them stories about dragons, because regardless of whether or not Metalicana ever came back, he'd want them to know of their heritage. Then the thought struck him – was dragonslayer magic inheritable? He knew children born with the propensity for magic often took after one of their parents, but did that count for ancient magic as well? If so, they'd either most definitely get some kind of nerd, or a dragonslayer. Or an iron-manipulator. Or maybe they'd get one that wasn't born with magic at all, but the thought was a little...strange. Somehow he imagined his future children to be mages – they'd have to be, times being what they were, or at the very least they'd have to be able to protect themselves, because Shorty had a tendency to fret and worry, and she'd feel better if they knew how to look after themselves.

A small hand closed over his where it rested on the open page, and he snapped out of his thoughts, eyes meeting the knowing smile of the tiny woman in front of him. "What were _you_ thinking about?" she asked, her tone suggestive. He turned his gaze away, grumbling under his breath, and attempted to snatch his hand away from the book, but she had both of hers atop it now.

"It's alright to dream, you know," she said then, and at the seriousness of her tone, he turned his gaze on her. There was a smile on her face, but it was strangely guarded. "We have a dangerous profession, and there's always evil brewing, so...we _should_ dream. It's something to fight for, you know? A future."

He looked at her – at her smiling face and her trusting eyes, and her small hands clamped atop his, as though she wasn't letting go even if he'd demand her to. And he thought of all the shit that was just waiting to happen – evil wizards coming back from the dead, disappearing dragons, crazy idiots plotting to take over the world and vengeful, exiled sons – and he found that maybe...maybe she had a point.

She grinned then, and this time it was anything but guarded, but full of promise and warmth, and she tugged at his hand from where it lay still atop the book and the drawing of the dragon with its hatchlings. "Come on, I need to go get Asuka-chan," she said as she set about stuffing the books back into her bag. Turning her eyes on him, she tilted her head to the side, as if weighing the situation. Then she smiled.

"Want to help me babysit? I could do all the actual sitting – you'd just have to be there and keep me company. And she likes you, so that shouldn't be a problem," she said.

He turned his gaze towards the other end of the room, where the cowboy-couple was busy coddling their offspring, and he snorted. "What the hell – I don't have anything better to do," he shrugged.

Her smile was brilliant, and she leaned forward to kiss him. "Thank you," she murmured against his lips, before pulling away. Lifting the bag – which looked almost bigger than herself – over one shoulder, she winked at him as she turned around to head towards the exit. "It'll be good practice, ne?"

He spluttered, and from beside him, Lily burst out laughing, and her own giggles drifted back to him as she strode away from him, a skip in her step and her hands innocently clasped behind her back. "The hell are you suggesting, Shorty?" he called as he caught up with her, thoroughly ignoring the knowing smile directed at him from Lily.

Levy shrugged. "Nothing that you haven't already thought about, I'm sure," she said with an impish smile. His eye twitched, but before he had a chance to defend himself and the fact that _he wasn't daydreaming_, there was a small, cowboy-clad girl by their feet, looking up at them wide wide eyes and a childish grin.

"GA-jeel~!" she chirped happily, before latching onto his hand where it dangled high above her head, and he started at the contact, about to snatch it back, but at the sight of the enormous eyes gazing up at him imploringly, he found he had about as much chance of letting go as he had of refusing shortstuff when she wanted something.

Ah, damn it all to hell!

Striding out of the guild, Gajeel and the kid in tow, Levy couldn't possibly look more pleased with herself, and he grumbled under his breath. With the tiny thing's height – or lack thereof – he had to bend his back in order to make up for the difference, and it was hella difficult to walk, and he knew he looked like some kind of weirdo with a limp.

"You can carry her, you know – it'd be a lot easier on your back," Levy said from beside him, biting down on her lip to keep from smiling. He was about to snap something, but at the word 'carry', the hand holding his dropped away, and before he had a chance to vehemently decline, two pudgy arms were upraised before him in anticipation, and the eyes he hadn't thought could get any bigger seemed to swallow everything as they looked up at him.

"Up!"

He sighed, eye twitching at Shorty's laughter, and despite himself – and despite the amused murmurs and feminine squeals and coos coming from behind them – he bent to pick her up, settling her on his shoulders with a dark grumble. The sheer height of her new seat had her kicking her legs and shrieking with laughter, and Gajeel could only sigh as he followed the shrimp back to his apartment.

She smiled up at him. "Come on, Gajeel – you can't say you don't think about it a _little_," she said as she reached out to tickle a small leg. The kid giggled, clapping her small hands against the top of his head in delight. He snorted.

"Keep dreamin', shortstuff."

She grinned. "Oh, after _this_, I definitely will. And _you_ will, too, even if you admit to it or not," she said with a shrug. He only grumbled under his breath. He didn't daydream about kids – tch, what did he look like? Some kind of sissy-pants? Hell no.

But...that didn't mean the thought hadn't crossed his mind, but that was_ completely different_ from 'daydreaming'.

"It's just two ways to explain one thing, you know," Levy spoke, and he realized he'd said it aloud. Damn it.

"It ain't."

She grinned. "Whatever you say, Gajeel," she said. He muttered under his breath, but said nothing more as they kept on walking through the streets, and he tried his best to ignore the points and the stares and the excited squeals from around them at the sight they made. But most of all, he tried to ignore the thought of what it'd be like when it was their turn – if their future brats would sit on his shoulders or tug at her hands. Maybe it'd be too quick for them to keep up with...or maybe it'd be like her, quiet and calm and obedient, hugging Shorty's legs or hiding behind–

…

"Daydreaming again?"

"Shaddup!"

* * *

AN: When will I grow tired of messing with this guy? NEVER, that's when.


	7. miss

AN: Currently missing the other half of my long-distance relationship so much that I'm two seconds away from crawling into a corner of feels and sobbing myself silly. And from my woes, this chapter spawned! Because Gajeel would never admit to the fact that he ever misses Levy when he's away. Which means I get to mess with him, fufufufufu.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters – Hiro Mashima does.

* * *

"**(to) miss**": verb. _To feel or suffer from the lack of something or someone._

"So, on a scale of 'barely noticed' to 'I'd like to tear my iron heart out of my chest', how much have you missed her?"

Throwing a glance over his shoulder at the Exceed, Gajeel raised a brow. "How 'bout none of 'em?"

Lily snorted. "Nice try, but I'm not buying that."

"You don't buy anything I ever say."

"That's because half the time you talk you're trying to sell me _crap_," he countered dryly, adjusting his bag where it was slung over his shoulder. Gajeel only shook his head as he turned his gaze back on the road before them.

The mission had been long. Maybe the longest he'd been on since he'd joined Fairy Tail. It was definitely the longest since he'd gotten together with Levy–

–not that _that_ meant he'd missed her or anything. Because he hadn't – he didn't do that kind of crap, and he'd told her that when he'd left and she'd told him she'd miss _him_. Told him like it was fact; that she didn't even need the months of distance to know that she would. It had thrown him off a little, because he didn't think anyone had ever told him that before. Not when he'd come back from a job, and certainly not before he'd even left.

But then Levy was weird, and had too much affection in her heart, so he guessed she had to direct it somewhere. He wondered if her boys felt very much ignored, now that most of that affection seemed to be directed towards _him_. At least after she'd come into his life as something other than a fellow mage.

He also wondered when he'd started thinking about his time in Fairy Tail as 'pre' and 'post-Levy', and shook his head, chalking it up on the growing list of the strange crap the woman did to him.

Rolling his shoulders, Gajeel held back a tired groan at the protesting muscles in his back. It had been a long journey, even for the two of them, and he was beginning to feel the effects of all their walking. After the blasted motion-sickness had kicked in, he'd become averse to all kinds of transportation, even those he'd enjoyed in the past. And there wasn't much he could do about it when the kid wasn't travelling with them. And so they'd ended up crossing the country on foot to get home. Lily hadn't minded much; he still had parts of Earthland he hadn't seen yet, and walking had never really bothered him. Of course, walking had meant it would take them a whole lot longer to get to the job and back again, but now that they were finally home Gajeel didn't offer the topic much more thought.

Before them Magnolia sprawled, uncharacteristically silent in the dead of night. Lights dotted the multitude of buildings, and the sight of the mismatched rooftops brought a strange sense of peace to Gajeel as he stopped to take in the scenery from the sloping hill leading down to the outskirts of town. The nights were getting darker as autumn approached, and the temperature was nice. Not too cold, or too warm. Magnolia was, he mused, when it came down to it, one of the better places to live in Fiore.

...and he wasn't saying that because that was where Levy was. Or the guild. Nope. It was purely because he liked the town.

"You've missed it."

"Shaddup."

"You've missed _her_ more, I'll wager."

"I wager I'm about to stuff your tail down your throat."

Lily grinned. "Touchy subject, hmm? That means I'm on the right track."

Gajeel snorted. "On the right track to the loony bin, maybe."

"I beg to differ. Wasn't it _you_ who wanted to get back _tonight_? We could have easily stayed the night at that inn we found and done half the walk tomorrow. You were eager to come home; just admit it."

Gajeel shot him a dry look. "Weather was nice, and I didn't hear _you_ complainin'."

"Because I knew you missed her and wanted to come back as soon as you could," Lily countered easily. Gajeel glared at him, fingers twitching where they gripped the cord on his duffel. Lily smiled innocently as he turned his gaze back to the city, and for a moment they stood there, silently watching their home where it sprawled before them.

"Looking forward to seeing her again?"

"She's my girl – 'course I am."

Lily raised a brow. "But you haven't _missed_ her?"

"I don't do that–"

"–'kind of sissy shit', yes, yes. What are you, a broken record?"

"Should you be pointing fingers, cat?" Gajeel grumbled. "Yer the one who keeps poking yer nose into my business."

"I'm your partner; it's part of the job description. And you make it too easy."

Gajeel grumbled. "I don't make it _too_ easy."

"_Yes_," Lily said, with heavy emphasis, as though talking to a child. "You do. For all your reading of those thesauruses and dictionaries you've been trying to seduce her with, you still can't be bothered to check the definitions of what you so _clearly_ do, even if you deny it."

"I know what 'to miss' means, Lily, what do I look illiterate to you?"

Lily snorted. "Could have fooled me," he muttered. "But if you know, why do you keep denying it?"

Gajeel grumbled as he started walking again, heading down the softly sloping hill with long, stalking strides. "Cause I ain't doing it." He tried to put a note of finality into his tone, but Pantherlily was, if anything, annoyingly persistent.

"Want me to recite the facts again?" Lily asked dryly as he fell into step beside him, keeping up with his long strides easily despite his current size. Gajeel glared down at him.

"No tha_–"_

"Too bad, you'll hear them anyway. Exhibit A: you've been thinking more than you usually do, and I doubt it's been about the mission."

"I _think_, Lil," Gajeel interjected, a bit miffed that his partner was insinuating that he usually _didn't_.

"Sure you do, but you don't usually think so hard about something I can't get a hold of you."

Gajeel blinked, before a frown tugged his brows down. "When has _that_ happened?"

Lily rolled his eyes. "Exactly. You were so far gone at one point I thought you'd fallen asleep with your eyes open. Now, exhibit _B_–"

"I haven't gotten her anything, if that's what yer about to say."

Lily grinned. "I wasn't going to say that, but I'm guessing you've thought about it," he quipped. "What I was going to say was that you've been a lot more personal than you usually are, from lack of physical contact, most likely."

"Lack of–" Gajeel stopped, giving Lily an incredulous look. "Are you kidding me? _Lack of physical contact? _The hell are ya, my shrink now?" He grumbled to himself. "And I haven't been more 'personal' or whatever crap you're trying to pull," he added for good measure.

"...you were hugging me in your sleep."

"...so?"

Lily smirked, and Gajeel felt his eye twitch at the knowing look on his friend's face. "_So_, I think you've missed your girl. And her cuddles."

"I don't–"

"–_cuddle_. Yes, I _know_. We've been over that one before, too. But _she_ does, and you've _missed_ it. Just admit it."

Gajeel snorted. "I ain't admitting to anything, cat."

"We've been gone three months; it's normal to miss your girlfriend when you've been gone that long."

Gajeel didn't say anything to that, but kept his eyes on the curving street before them. He could see their flat in the distance, and looked forward to going to bed. Lily was right – they could have easily divided the journey, and he wouldn't have been half as tired if they had, but he had his reasons. He wasn't about to admit to anything, though. Especially when his cat was looking at him like _that_.

"Stop that."

"What?"

Gajeel snorted. "Stop looking at me like I'm amusing you."

"But you _are_ amusing me."

Gajeel ignored him, striding towards the small apartment complex before them without another word. Lily was quick, though, and caught up with him easily. "So, are you going straight to bed?" he asked, as Gajeel turned the key in the lock.

He turned his head, one brow raised. "I've been walking since noon – the hell would I do instead?"

Lily grinned. "Make a trip to Fairy Hills?"

"Titania would have my head."

"Hasn't stopped you before."

Gajeel only smirked as he pushed the door open, for once pleased Lily couldn't completely read his intentions, or the thoughts behind them. He could almost feel his friend's curiosity as he followed him up the short flight of stairs and down the cramped corridor that lead to the entrance of their flat.

"You're hiding something," Lily said then, finally, after he'd been silent for some time.

"I ain't hiding anything."

Eyeing him with a bemused look on his furry face, Lily hummed. "But there is something you're not telling me."

Gajeel merely smirked as he placed the key in the lock, before turning it. Opening the front door, he strode inside without another word, and heard Lily follow and close the door behind him. Dropping the bag on the floor, Gajeel waited.

Any moment now...

"Ah."

He grinned as realization dawned on his partner, but didn't say anything as he strode into the living room, kicking his boots off and leaving them, haphazardly, next to the small pair of red sandals placed neatly against the wall. Tugging off his scarf, he dropped it over the armchair, before he headed towards the kitchen. He heard the soft padding of Lily's footsteps as he followed him, but the Exceed didn't say anything as he took in the plate of biscuit-sized pieces spelling 'IRON' in neat, blocky letters, that Gajeel had in his hand and was busy devouring.

"The fridge is full," he said instead, as he opened the door to look inside.

"Surprised?" Gajeel asked.

Pantherlily shook his head, grabbing a fresh kiwi from the bowl placed near the bottom of the refrigerator – impossible to miss at his eye-level, and easy to reach. Gajeel smirked as he stuffed the final piece into his mouth, before placing the plate by the sink.

"You knew she was here," Lily said as he jumped up on the kitchen counter in front of him.

Gajeel leaned against the opposite counter with a smirk. "Maybe."

"Don't be coy, Gajeel, you're not a courtesan."

Gajeel spluttered. "The _hell_, Lil?"

Lily only shrugged as he took a bite of his now peeled kiwi. "Trying to expand my range of insults. I'm experimenting."

"Gotta do better than _that,_" Gajeel muttered as he shifted his weight.

Lily smirked. "Well, it got a reaction, didn't it? I might start using it more often if it irks you enough. But as I said, don't be coy – you knew she was here. Why didn't you just say so?"

Gajeel shrugged. "You didn't ask."

"Don't be clever."

Gajeel chuckled. "What, I'm not comedian, either?"

Lily grinned, and shrugged. "You can be funny sometimes, but usually it's not by actually _trying_."

"Just my general charm?" Gajeel asked dryly.

Lily snorted. "I was thinking more along the lines of how you do something whilst simultaneously denying any association to it. Like stalking your girlfriend–"

"Wasn't."

"–_worrying_ about your girlfriend–"

"Wasn't doing that, either."

"–shamelessly _flirting_ with your girlfriend–"

"I get it, cat, I'm 'semantically confused', or whatever ya call it. You done now?"

Lily tilted his head. "I've got a whole list of these – don't you want to hear them?"

Gajeel snorted as he pushed away from the counter. "Night, Lily," he said, shaking his head as he headed towards his bedroom, a smirk tugging at his lips despite himself.

"Thank her for the kiwi, when you wake her up," came Lily's voice, spoken to Gajeel's retreating back, and he threw a hand up in casual affirmation, before opening his bedroom door and letting himself inside.

He'd known she'd be there – had known it before he'd even left Magnolia, three months ago. But knowing she'd be there waiting for him didn't keep him from stopping by the foot of the bed where she lay, curled up in the very centre of it, with an ounce of astonishment he couldn't quite stop himself from feeling. She'd pulled all the covers close and was using both pillows, the hogger that she was, and he wasn't surprised to see her small feet where they stuck out from beneath the cover. He'd bet his entire mission payment they were freezing cold, too, but for some reason the thought made him strangely pleased. It was familiar, and after having been gone for three months, it was almost as good to come back to as the plate of iron snacks she'd left for him in the kitchen.

His brows furrowed as he watched her, thinking about Lily's teasing words. It was good to be back, but he wondered, suddenly, when his life had gone from years spent coming home to an empty apartment, to his current predicament where he not only shared a flat, but where, even after three months gone, there was someone waiting for him to come home. And even if he'd thought about it a good deal during his time away from Magnolia, what finally drove it home was the sight of her, snug on his bed and hogging all his blankets, like they were hers.

Like she belonged there.

"Are you going to come to bed, or are you going to keep watching me?" came the sleepy murmur, muffled from beneath the mound on the bed, and Gajeel smirked.

"How long have ya been pretending to be asleep?"

She didn't even look up when she replied, "Since you came in the front door."

He snorted, even as he began tugging off his shirt and socks. Walking around the bed, he reached down towards the cover, before giving the sheets a rough tug that had her yelping at the sudden onslaught of cold air.

"Gajeel!" she protested, naked legs curling up, and he could see goosebumps rising on her skin. When she reached over to tug the coverlet back, brows narrowed in playful annoyance, he caught her chin with one hand and her mouth with his, swallowing her laughter as she fell against him. Inhaling deeply, he dropped the cover to reach into her hair – the bird's nest that it always was after she'd been sleeping. _Familiar. _

She made a noise at the back of her throat then – something like surprise mingled with discontent – and pulled back, eyes blinking rapidly as they focused blearily on his chin.

"You grew a _beard_?"

He couldn't discern whether she was just plain amused or amused and a little disgruntled, but grinned either way. "Didn't have a razor."

She gave him a look. "You could've _made_ one if you wanted to," she pointed out dryly, even as her hands cupped his face, and his smile widened when her fingers brushed against the scruff on his chin. "This is..._weird_," she said finally, and he laughed, leaning forward to catch her mouth again, but she squirmed away with a laugh. "It tickles!" she gasped, dissolving into more laughter as he got fully into the bed, catching her around the waist and tugging her back towards him.

"Better put up with it tonight," he rumbled against her as he brushed his forehead against hers, and she grinned up at him, humour bright in her sleepy eyes.

"Oh yeah?" she teased. "And what if I want to sleep?"

With one swift move, he had her trapped beneath him, and she squirmed, still laughing. "You could have slept at yer dorm," he pointed out, leaning down until her cold nose nudged against his.

She bit her lip cheekily. "My bed's not this comfortable," she tried, eyes glinting.

He grinned. "Damn straight it ain't."

She laughed, her small form shaking with it, and when she quieted she looked at him closely. Her hands reached for his face again, fingers tracing along his cheekbones and the studs lining the bridge of his nose. "I've missed you," she declared.

"It shows."

She pinched his ear. "Hey! You're supposed to say 'missed you, too, shrimp'. We've been over this before. Or should I just take your silence as compliance?"

He smirked, leaning his head down to nibble at the skin at her collar. "Whatever makes ya shut yer trap," he growled.

"Ass."

He grinned against her skin, fangs catching against the soft texture, and a deep sound rumbled low in his chest when her pulse leaped against her throat, and her skin flushed. "Contradicting yer words, Levy."

She snorted. "Oh, _you're_ one to talk?" she asked, laughing when his scruff brushed against her neck. "You're a living contradiction, Gajeel," she murmured, and he felt her hands travel down to brush over his shoulders and down his back.

"Yer not complaining," he muttered, fingers inching along her ribs, making her jolt with a laugh.

She grinned up at him. "No," she murmured. "I'm not." And letting her hands travel up his back until they came to rest again on each side of his face, she titled her head. Her eyes narrowed a little, as though she was contemplating one of her scripts.

"I guess I can live with the beard," she announced finally, and he grinned. "For tonight, at least," she added, as she rubbed her thumbs against the unfamiliar texture. Her nose scrunched up a little. "It's scruffy."

He snorted. "It's supposed ta be."

She smiled, and her eyes were bright and dark in the dim light of the room. "You've been gone three months," she said then, her hands tightening where she held his face. "You grew a _beard_." Her hands dipped into his hair, fingers trailing along his scalp, and he growled low at the sensation. "You're being contradictory, as always," she continued, voice a low murmur. Then she tugged. _Hard_. Until his nose was a hairsbreadth away from hers. The eyes staring into his were oddly determined, and the smile stretching across her face eerily feral. And way too much like his own.

"And I've _missed_ _you_, you stupid dragon. Now are you going to keep being difficult, or are you going to show me that you missed _me_, too?"

He didn't even have the chance to contradict her before her fingers tightened in his hair and she tugged him down, swallowing his protests.

* * *

"You really did miss me, didn't you?"

He groaned into his pillow. "Levy...go back ta sleep."

She kissed the back of his neck. "You know how I know?"

"Sleep," he grumbled. "Now. Before I throw ya out on yer ass."

He could feel her smile against his skin. "You don't want to know how I _know,_ Gajeel? Really?"

He was too damn tired to tell her he'd already had this conversation with Lily, but he'd let her humour herself. "Fine. How d'ya know?" he grumbled.

"My feet aren't cold."

He blinked sleepily, wondering if he'd heard her right. "What?"

"I said 'my feet aren't cold'. They're warm."

"...and?" The hell was she on about?

Wait a minute...

Her triumph was almost tangible when she spoke, and he realized too late what he'd been subconsciously doing as he'd drifted off to sleep earlier. She wiggled her toes, and they brushed against his fingers where they gripped her small feet.

...damn it.

Levy laughed, nudging her nose against the shell of his ear, and he knew what she was going to say even before the words left her mouth,

"This is _so_ going on Lily's list of evidence."

* * *

AN: After chatting with Rae and then seeing her chortle-worthy doodle of Gajeel with scruff on his chin, I felt I had to sneak it into this chapter. Because manly men don't shave on missions, and I secretly think Gajeel could grow a pretty snazzy beard if he wanted to. And yes, Levy was being the big spoon at the end, because she does that sometimes.


	8. admire

AN: So this is my entry to the Gajeel x Levy Week, under the prompt "Admiration." Because _of_ _course_ Gajeel does no such thing. For your pleasure I've also thrown in some sassy bro!Cana, as I totally support the headcanon that she and Gajeel are drinking buddies.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters – Hiro Mashima does.

* * *

"**(to) admire**": verb. _To regard with pleasure, wonder and approval. _

"Come on, Redfox, _admit it_. You've admired her for ages."

Gajeel glared at the brunette from over the rim of his mug, before closing his eyes and downing his ale. When he placed the tankard down on the table, Cana was watching him with a leering grin. He snorted. "Ya look like a creeper with that smile."

"And you look like a walking fashion disaster. And we're both drunk, so who cares?"

"_Yer _drunk, Alberona. I'm still sober as a nun."

She barked a laugh. "Oh that's rich! You've had even more than I have, and there ain't no way yer drinking me under the table!"

Gajeel grinned as he refilled his tankard. "That a challenge?"

"I'll give ya a challenge, Redfox," she grumbled, waving a loose fist in front of his face. He only shook his head, swatting her hand away as he reached for his mug again. She was silent a little moment longer as she stared at him with furrowed brows, as though contemplating something.

Gajeel felt his eye twitch. "What?"

She grinned. "Nothing."

"Yer staring."

"Can't a girl stare if she wants? What are ya, off limits to look at, too? Girlie doesn't strike me as the jealous type – that would be _you_."

He snorted. "Stare all ya want, but stop lookin' like yer about ta say something annoying."

"You find any voice but yer own annoying."

He smirked. "Damn straight."

Cana's resulting grin was sly. "Well, that's not entirely true, though, is it? I bet ya don't think Levy's voice is annoying."

He gave her a look. "She's my woman – wouldn't be that if I found her annoying." He shook his head. "Losing yer touch already? Ya never used to be a lightweight."

She snorted. "Dream on, Mr. Nuts and Bolts. I ain't even _started_." She grinned, wiping her mouth before refilling her mug. "So you don't think she's annoying, huh?"

"What are ya, deaf? Didn't I just tell ya?"

"So what is she then?"

"She's...Levy."

"Gosh, Redfox, you've got such a way with words. Don't make me swoon now with your articulate affection for your lady love."

He grumbled, "Shaddup."

Cana chuckled. "Ah, but you know I won't. That's why you drink with me – because you like my company."

"Yer not half bad–"

She slapped his shoulder. "Aw, man – now we're talkin'!"

"–when yer _drunk._ Sober yer about as tolerable as a small, yapping dog."

"DAMNIT IT, REDFOX!" He ducked just in time to avoid the tankard sailing for his face, and he grinned as it crashed against the wall behind him, splintering into pieces and sending droplets of ale raining over the heads of those seated at the neighbouring table. Shouts broke out, followed by a few insults thrown in Cana's direction, to which she responded with a crude gesture.

"Yer aim's off," Gajeel quipped, as he took a sip of his ale.

"Shaddup."

He grinned. "I'm pullin' yer leg, Alberona."

She glared, grumbling under her breath, "You better, ya damn needle cushion, or I'm telling yer girl all yer embarrassing secrets," she warned.

He nearly spluttered. "The _hell_? I ain't said anything embarrassing to you!"

She grinned. "Nah, but I can lie pretty good. I'll make it believable."

"Shorty's too clever to believe anything _you_ pull out of yer ass."

"You sure about that?"

"_Yes_."

"How sure? What would you bet on it?"

"I ain't betting with _you_," he retorted, muttering into his ale. "Bound to be cheated."

She gave him a playful wink. "Heck yes you would. But that's not the point here; the _point_ is that you don't think I could pull it off. You doubt, but I'll have ya know, I'd make it so believable it'd be _true_."

He blinked, his mug still at his mouth. "The heck does that even _mean_?"

She hiccuped, and wiped her mouth, eyes gleaming with mischief. "It means I know what ya feel, Redfox. And I know _you_. Give a gal some credit, huh? I've been drinking with ya since before the others even dared look at ya without pissing their pants. Heck, dollface was still fleeing the room when we had our first drink! I know ya, whether ya like it or not."

Gajeel crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his seat. "Oh yeah? Ya _think_ ya know me, is what you mean."

Cana rolled her eyes. "You think you're ten times more mysterious than you really are, Iron Man, but yer actually not so hard ta figure out. Hell, Lily should tell ya that often enough!"

"Lily is my cat."

She snorted. "What, does that give him special telepathic abilities or somethin'? Other people can figure ya out too. I bet Levy knows ya pretty well."

"She's my _woman_."

Cana grinned, raising her new mug. "And I'm yer bro. C'mon, want me ta prove I know ya?"

He snorted. "Go ahead."

She was kidding herself. So what if Lily knew him pretty well? Anyone in Fairy Tail knew _that_. And that Levy knew him wasn't such a surprise anymore, either. They spent most of their time in his company, after all. It was only natural they'd gotten to know him. But as for the rowdy brunette in front of him who was flapping her gums like she knew what she was talking about–

"_I've been drinking with ya since before the others even dared look at ya without pissing their pants." _

He shifted in his seat, brows furrowing as he grudgingly realized that she actually had a point. He hadn't really thought about it like that when it came to her. It had been a long time since he'd thought about how the guild had used to treat him, but now that she'd brought it up, he couldn't help but realize that other than Juvia, the half-naked drunkard in front of him had been one of the first people to accept him as a member of Fairy Tail.

...damn it.

Cana's grin widened. "Realized I might be onto something, huh?"

"Shaddup."

She shrugged as she tucked her legs beneath her, and he noticed with a grumble that she wasn't even swaying in her seat. And contrary to what she'd claimed earlier, she'd had at least three mugs more than he'd had. "So!" she exclaimed then, placing her mug down and clapping her hands together. "Let's review the evidence!"

Gajeel rubbed his forehead. "You should get together with Lil and make a club or something," he muttered. Cana barked a laugh, giving him a wink.

"For all you know, we've already got one. But don't distract me! Now, _evidence_." He glared at her, but she brushed it off with a wave of her hand. "First of all, you asked to be her S-class partner," she said, pointing a finger at him, and muttering in an attempted aside, 'though you've got a different definition of what _ask_ means than normal people'. "Anyway, everyone else thinks ya did that 'cause ya wanted to repent or some crap, but I know ya better than that. I know why you _really_ did it."

He gave her a dull look. "I did it so I could participate in the exams."

"IRRELEVANT! And also, a bold-faced _lie_. C'mon, man, I'm not thick, and I won't fall for yer crap denial."

"It ain't den–"

"Ah, but it is," Cana said, waving a finger in front of his face. "Now, as I was _saying_. Everyone's got these misconceptions as to why ya forced yer help on her, but I think it's cause ya admired her and wanted ta see her reach S-class."

"You're out of yer mind."

She grinned. "Am I? Or am I just hitting the mark?"

He snorted. "Yer so far off the mark, ya could be blind for all yer shitty aiming."

"Nah I ain't, and ya know it." She wagged her finger and tutted under her breath. "Stubborn dragon. I wonder how she puts up with yer crap." Then she grinned, and chuckled softly to herself. "She's quite the, heheh, _admirable_ character, ain't she? Right? C'mon, bump that fist!"

"Yer a riot."

"Damn straight I am. But I don't get it, why won't ya just admit that you've admired her for so long? It ain't like it'll come as a shock."

He sighed. "I don't do that crap."

She snorted. "What, ya don't do _respect_?"

"Different words."

"So? Same meaning."

He gave her a look. "Are ya illiterate?"

She raised a challenging brow. "Are ya really pointing fingers, King of Contradictions? Really? Are ya?"

"Ain't the same."

"They're _synonyms_."

"Still a difference!"

She threw her hands up. "Yer impossible – ya know that? _Seriously._ Ya respect her, ya admire her. It's easy!"

He grumbled to himself. "It's a sissy word."

She looked at him, before snorting a laugh. "It's a _sissy_ word? The hell are ya, in kindergarten? Words won't give ya cooties, Redfox." He glared at her, and she pursed her lips smugly. "Ya admire her; admit it. Or do ya want to hear what other evidence I've got?"

"I don't wanna know."

"Well _too bad_, I'm still gonna tell ya!"

He sighed, closing his eyes as she clapped her hands. "Ya remember the time Laxus had his delayed teenage rebellion?"

Gajeel snorted. "That time he tried to eradicate the guild and the city cathedral in one go? Nah, I've _forgotten_."

She waved him off. "Yeah, yeah. Water under the bridge and all that. Now, ya remember what you were doing when we were all running around getting into fights?"

He felt his eye twitch. "I bet yer about to tell me."

Cana ginned. "Good wager, Metal Brows. Last I heard from the local rumour mill, you were in the guild, 'cause Fried had stuck ya under a rune spell. And d'ya know what _else_ I heard? About a certain remark to a certain bookworm who helped ya get out?"

As a matter of fact, he knew exactly what she was going to say. Knew it, because Lily made a point to remind him of it ever so often since he'd first heard about it. And Levy, too, had taken to bringing it up sometimes when the memory caught her fancy.

Bloody traitors, the both of them.

"I think it went a little like this," Cana began, and laughed, before slapping her chest and deepening her voice, face warping into a grimace that was no doubt supposed to represent _him_. "'You're incredible, you know. I can't understand a word you're saying.'" And then she burst into more laughter, holding her stomach for support. "Now that's admiration fer ya! And ya weren't even close ta dating back then! Holy hell, she was still scared of ya, if I remember correctly." She wiped tears of mirth from her eyes. "Man, yer charm, Redfox. It's something else, lemme tell ya."

Gajeel's fingers twitched around his mug. "I ain't admitting anything."

She grinned. "Wanna bet?"

"Bring it, _Rowdy."_

She laughed, before slamming her hand down and onto the table. "Fine! If ya drink me under the table, I'll get off yer back. But if _you_ break first, then yer gonna scream it form the guild roof, ya hear? From the _roof_. Out across the _city_."

He snorted, and though part of him knew what opponent he was taking on and the fact that she was even better off than him and was now _five_ tankards ahead of him, his pride just wouldn't allow him to admit defeat. Hell, he'd probably admit to secretly admiring Levy McGarden before he did _that_.

So instead of doing the clever thing and refuse her terms, as well as get off his chair and go home to the warm bed and the freezing cold feet of the woman sleeping in it, Gajeel slammed his tankard down in front of her. "Deal."

Cana rubbed her hands together. "Sweet!" And turning around, she hollered at the top of her lungs and with enough force to make every head in the guild hall turn their way.

"DRINK-OFF, PEEPS! REDFOX IS ABOUT TA LOSE HIS DIGNITY, SO GET YER ASSES OVER HERE AND PLACE SOME BETS!"

* * *

"...this is what happens when you challenge Cana to drinking contests, you know."

Gajeel groaned, but didn't raise his head from where it was pressed flat against the kitchen table. "Noise. Loud. _Shaddup_."

He heard her sigh, but even _that_ was too damn loud, and he turned his head away from the glaring light of the ceiling lamp. He felt like crap. Scratch that – _crap_ had to feel bloody _relaxing_ compared to the hell his head was going through. It was like being beaten repeatedly over the head with a sledgehammer.

And for someone made of fucking _iron_, that was saying something.

A soft palm pressed against his cheek then, before moving to his forehead. "Gajeel?"

He grumbled under his breath, but leaned his face into the cool touch, and the fingers brushed some of his hair away from his face, pulling some of it out from where it had gotten stuck in his mouth. "Lily, could you put on some coffee, please? As black as you can make it."

Gajeel tried to ignore the fact that she seemed to know exactly what to do, as well as how he preferred his coffee, but the fact stuck to the forefront of his mind like a blaring signpost. And he couldn't have stopped the rumbling, purr-like sound that escaped him when she rubbed her fingertips against his scalp, but since it was only her and Lily in the room – at least he thought so; he couldn't exactly see from his vantage point – he let himself go.

He felt her shift until she was sitting on the table beside his head, and the soft puttering of the coffee maker on the counter behind him became a comforting lull to soothe the hellish pounding behind his brow. Levy's fingers didn't leave his head, and the brief thought struck him that she as acting strangely...supportive, considering how he must have come in the night before. All he could remember was missing the bed and falling flat on his face on the floor beside it, pulling all the blankets with him as well as the lamp on the nightstand and the girl herself, who'd been wrapped up in the sheets. He also might have gotten a little frisky, as he was apt to do when he was drunk out of his mind. But so far as he could remember, she hadn't seemed to mind...or were those memories of another night? He really had no idea.

Something nagged at the back of his mind, though, about her behaviour. Hell, even Lily was acting weird; he'd never been this cautious when Gajeel had gotten drunk and woken him up in the past. Usually, he'd be intentionally loud and slam the cupboards for good measure, what with him being cat and then a naturally vindictive creature.

Suspicion leaped within him as the facts dawned on him one by one, and he lifted his head – which seemed to weigh more than it should – and cracked open an eye to regard the script mage seated on his kitchen table. She tilted her head, smiling down at him. "Hey."

He glared, and flinched as it sent his head into another brutal beating. "What–" he coughed, then swallowed, his mouth dry as dust.

"What?" Her fingers brushed his hair out of his face, and he turned away from the touch.

"Why're ya being so nice?"

She didn't hide the smile fast enough, and he caught it just before she bit down on her bottom lip. "Aren't I always nice?"

"Don't push it, bookworm," he growled. She shared a look with Lily, and that told him enough. "Alright, what are ya hiding?" he shot the Exceed a look, and then immediately regretted it when his eyes crossed.

"The question is," Lily said, as he placed a mug of steaming, pitch black coffee on the table under Gajeel's nose. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, and there was a strange smile on his face. "Do you really want to know?"

Gajeel frowned as he reached for the mug. "The hell d'ya mean, 'do I want to know'? Course I want ta know! What are you hiding?"

They shared another look, and Levy shrugged her shoulders. Lily coughed. "Well, what do you remember from last night? After you'd challenged Cana to a drink-off, that is."

Gajeel blinked, then pressed his palm against his brow. "I...we drank."

Lily whistled. "Sharp memory you've got there."

"Shaddup, cat," he grumbled. "Did I win?"

Lily shook his head. "Not even close."

Well...it wasn't that much of a shocker, Cana being who she was. But then why were they grinning at him like that?

…

...oh _fuck_.

"The guild's been in a riot all morning," Lily continued, his grin widening as he no doubt saw the realization dawn on his partner. "We've been hearing all sorts of interesting things about your ardent _admiration_. Although as the rumour goes, all of Magnolia knows."

And there it was – the part of the night before that he'd forgotten. Or purged, which was the more likely alternative. He wondered idly if he would ever live it down, but going by the nature of the guild, that was about as likely as actually beating Cana in a drinking contest.

Levy laughed softly, before leaning forward to brush her mouth against his forehead, at the centre between his brows where the pain was worst. He bristled as he felt her smile against his skin. "And here you'd told me you didn't do shouting from rooftops," she murmured, tone teasing, before pulling away and meeting his gaze. "I'm learning new things about you every day, aren't I?"

Gajeel let his head fall back against the table as both his cat and his woman dissolved into laughter beside him.

_Damn you, Alberona...!_

* * *

AN: Just try to tell me they're not bros of epic proportions. I know Cana's pretty much a bro with everyone, but Gajeel sure as heck isn't, so I like to think she's one of the few people whose presence he actually tolerates.


End file.
